Digital Strife
by Vn70072
Summary: <html><head></head>A new story, a new digital world. A new generation of chosen find themselves embroiled in the struggle between the digital kingdom of Chronus, and the forces of the dark lord Vakner.</html>
1. Chapter 1

The following is based upon the franchise Digimon, with related ideas and concepts belonging to their owners. Some characters are original, others are based on those used by friends of mine.

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><p>No one knows where the Digital World came from, nor the Digital Monsters - Digimon, who inhabit it. For centuries peace reigned and civilization prospered, but as such things happen, it did not last.<p>

Forces of the Dark Lord Vakner have been steadily encroaching on the Kingdom of Chronus, the center of the known Digital World. Where the Dark Legion does not level entire cities, citizen Digimon of the kingdom turn traitor to it, swayed by words of power, wealth, and a greater tomorrow under Vakner's rule.

For the last century the Chronus military has held on against the might of the dark legions, but slowly and inexorably the situation has deteriorated. The preoccupation of the nation's warriors with fighting Vakner's forces have left the homelands open to bandits, thieves, the greedy and the corrupt. Branches of the dark army now lay to the east, south, and north of kingdom, with the vast ocean across the west. Even as the Chronus military, the Excalibur, dwindle in numbers, the number of dark army forces pouring out of the unknown regions to the far east never abates.

Legends speak of a great trial faced by the Digital World long ago, a time when beings from another world, known as Humans, crossed over. Those humans formed bonds of love, friendship, and camaraderie with their Digimon partners, attaining power far beyond what either was capable of alone. History runs in cycles, repeating itself across years, centuries, millennia. Digimon prophets spoke of the day when humans would once again enter their world, rising as champions once more...

That time is now.

**Digital Strife**

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><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Eastern Province, near the fort of Arcwater<strong>

"C'mon, now," the four hooves of a Sagittarimon plodded across the moonlit grass. His black skin did not reflect the silvery light from high above, but his red armor mirrored that subtle sheen. Hands clasped around the bow, deep worry stirring within his digital soul. The river gurgled and hissed nearby on one side, a scattered forest on the other.

Striding alongside him were three squat bipedal saurians, notable by orange scales, stubby tails, large heads, and leather gauntlets on their forearms. The Agumon soldiers kept their eyes peeled as they proceeded along the river, for their group had a cargo most precious. Members five and six of the group were being transported on the leader's back, both wounded and battered from a tangle with Vakner's army. The first of them a Digimon that was unconscious, the second a human barely awake.

The quietest of sounds, a whisper as pads and claws scraped at the dirt of the riverbank. Rapid steps as the pack advanced, but even as shadow incarnate could not elude Sagittarimon's notice.

"Incoming!" barked the leader, hooves sliding to a stop in the dirt, readying a single arrow and drawing it back. By the light of the moon he saw the ripples of his quarry, the Agumon likewise turning and arraying themselves for battle. Fists at the ready, fire licking at their fangs.

"You sure about this, Sergeant?" questioned one of the reptilian warriors, though unmistakably ready for the hard battle they'd fought to continue.

The armor-level officer did not reply directly. "Have you forgotten our duty?" the warrior spoke gruffly, drawing his bow back a bit further. "We may have lost some of number protecting these two from Vakner's minions already, but I'll be damned if I live with the shame of being the one who surrendered one of the Chosen to Vakner's hellspawn! General Magnus has given us our orders, it's time to make good on our oath!" His men nodding, he knew grimly that his pep talk had worked.

Even as the unearthly howls of their stalkers filled the air, the four Chronus warriors steeled themselves. "Attack!" barked the sergeant, releasing his arrow as the shadows emerged from darkness. The fierce, fluid, inky lupine forms of the Sangloupmon charged onward, half a dozen of the beasts with wickedly sharp foreclaws, heads framed by bat wings.

"Judgment Arrow!"  
>"Baby Flame!"<p>

A shining golden projectile joined the three hot orange fireballs streaking toward the wolves, but the Sangloupmon melted like shadows as the attacks passed through them. As the attack passed, they reconstituted. "Sticker Blade!" Needle-like darts filled the air, launched from the manes of the wolves, peppering the Excaliburs.

Shrugging off the brief barrage, the warriors were more taken aback by the ineffectiveness of their attacks. "Again!" barked Sagittarimon, readying another arrow. The wolves had closed half the distance, and it would be unwise to fight them hand-to-hand.

"We can still," gasped a weak voice from the phantom beast's back. "Fight." Sensing the tamer's will, and sharing it as a spark of strength passed between them, the partner likewise slid from the quadruped's back. Side by side, terribly battered by a battle before the Excalibur squad had rescued them, tamer and partner were nonetheless ready to fight valiantly.

"Concentrate your fire," murmured Sagittarimon.  
>"Judgment Arrow!"<br>"Baby Flame!"

This salvo was more successful, striking down one of the Sangloupmon. The wolf disintegrating to dust as his pack charged onward, they suddenly… vanished.

"Ha!" cheered one of the Agumon, suddenly relieved.  
>"No!" the Sagittarimon and tamer both yelled the warning at once, but it was too late.<p>

The five wolves exploded from the shadows around the Excaliburs, claws glinting in the moonlight. Slash, slash, slash, and the three Agumon were naught but dust in the wind.

A Sangloupmon lunged at Sagittarimon, but an arrow tore deep into the wolf's chest cavity and a split second later it was gone. A second wolf aimed to sink its fangs into the centaur's flank, suddenly dazed by a hoof that caught it in the face. A blast of energy from the partner struck the disoriented wolf and felled it, the sudden ferocity causing the remaining three Sangloupmon to draw back even as the odds stood even.

A nervous gasp from the tamer as the stalemate settled. The wolves hovered some ten meters away, spread in a semicircle before the remaining Excalibur and his charges. "Be ready to run," warned Sagittarimon, earning tense acknowledgements.

The Sangloupmon did not snarl or snap, saliva did not drip from their fangs, and as their red eyes gleemed in the darkness, they seemed to be waiting. Then they parted, a cold laugh heralding the arrival of a humanoid figure clad in black leather. Eyes red like blood but colder than ice stared outward. "Going somewhere?" the voice spoke with a cold, cruel ease as the wolves sidled up alongside.

"Run!" barked Sagittarimon, drawing another arrow. Fear brought hesitation, but desperation returned motion to the tamer and partner under the tenuous care of the Excalibur. As they flew in one direction, the centaur's arrow flew the other.

"Nice try," drawled the leather-clad speaker, drawing a small object in one hand while brilliant light shone from the other. With blinding speed one of the Sangloupmon intercepted the attack, snatching the arrow from midair in its jaws and splitting it in two.

"Get them!" the two other Sangloupmon charged onward, rapidly closing the distance with the fleeing quarry. An agreement passed between Tamer and Digimon, for they could never outrun the enemy. As light flared from the wounded human's palm, the only remaining options were fight,

Or die…

**Kingdom of Chronus, Southern Province, Primary Village**

"Wake up, chosen child!" a cheerful voice pierced the ears of a sleeping youth.

The azure blue eyes of Jeanette Roy cracked open before immediately slamming shut, the harsh midday sun drilling into them. The balmy air was stirred by a cool breeze, with the soft cradle of earth and grass beneath her, the teen felt herself drifting off to sleep again as she rolled over.

Her hair was long and blonde; it would have easily reached down to mid-shoulder if the girl was upright. Her skin was fair, her face framed by slim silver eyeglasses. She was dressed in blue sneakers, knee-high stockings, a blue skirt, and a jean jacket over a pink short-sleeved shirt. The one thing truly noticeable about the young teenage girl's appearance was a lock of her bangs above her left eye – dyed shocking pink.

"Oi!" the voice came again, a bit perturbed but nonetheless friendly. Following it a split second later was a soft jab at her stomach.

"'ey!" exclaimed the girl, sitting bolt upright. Eyes focusing through the glasses, she set her eyes on what first appeared to be a stuffed animal. Then it smiled and spoke, making it clear this was no bedtime toy.

"'Bout time you woke up, sleepyhead," the same friendly-yet-boisterous voice that woke her came from the creature's lips, the thing itself spherical and covered in pink fuzz, two stubby arms, two stubby legs with feet in sandals, bird wings fluttering at its back, and two wide eyes. Almost like a fairy, the whole thing would have been cute if it hadn't been so alarming.

Another startled exclamation left the girl's lips, scuttling briefly backward across the grass on her hands and knees, crablike, to get away from the fuzzball. "Wha-what are you?" she gasped, her voice French-accented as her name might suggest.  
>"C'mon, now," said the fairy, fluttering to the ground and propping the spear he'd used the blunt end of to wake Jeanette against his shoulder. "I'm Piccolomon, remember?"<p>

"Piccolomon," the girl echoed, nodding in acknowledgement, but then shaking her head to try and clear it.

It had started out with her fourteenth birthday days away. Her adoptive father told her he was going on a business trip to London, England, and that she was coming along. Disappointed, but hardly surprised, she found herself wandering the streets whilst her father went about running his business. Jeanette had never known the sweet embrace of parents who truly cared about her, only the past twelve years in the businessman's loveless care. He had never married, only kept Jeanette nearly as much as a groomed future employee to run his business some day than as a daughter.

There was no mistaking she was well-cared for, but academics had been truly rigorous even for someone as naturally intelligent as Jeanette was. But, recently, along with the trials and tribulations of normal puberty, the young French girl was diagnosed as a Narcoleptic. While hers was not as severe as some cases she had read about, her condition left her body prone to falling asleep at inconvenient daytime moments while nights were less restful than those she'd grown used to, as well as some other complications from a body that no longer handled sleeping and waking states properly.

It had probably been just such an episode that left her sleeping before this Piccolomon. "Right," she mumbled, embarrassed by her actions even if they were out of her control. Her father had been no help on that either, simply chastising her for laziness and a lack of drive and focus. In a way, she'd been glad to have free reign of the London streets while he was cooped up in some meeting.

More than to see the look on her father's face when she saw him again than anything, she'd had her hair dyed on that one lock. At times she came to fear his reaction, but at the time it seemed like there wasn't any going back.

At least, not until the strange e-mail on her phone, and a run-in with an even stranger person on the streets.

Greetings, Jeanette Alice Roy,

Do you seek adventure, friendship, a place to belong, travel, and even a chance to discover more about yourself?

YES or NO ?

The odd young man Mikhail had received a similar automated message. Though not inclined to trust the gruff Russian, both replied Yes together.

Jeanette Alice Roy,

The path you have chosen is fraught with many dangers, but holds much great potential as well. When you are certain, reply to this message.

Though not inclined to take advice from a male, led alone a bossy one, she saw the wisdom when Mikhail advised her to not reply yet. Somehow he seemed to know that once they replied to the second message, there was no going back. "Pack what you can, and then accept the message." How being packed immediately upon replying was necessary defied imagination, but as Jeanette would come to realize, that was just the beginning.

And how right he was. Fortunately, most of Jeanette's packing was already done; all she had to do was return a few things to her suitcase in the hotel room. With the blocky container in one hand and her backpack hitched up on her back, she'd replied.  
>A whirlwind of light, sound, and wind followed, as the French youth traveled further than she'd ever thought possible, even after spending her entire life getting dragged along by her father on one business trip after another.<p>

Piccolomon's initial greeting trickled back into her memory. The e-mail she'd received was an invitation to the Digital World, a dimension filled with fantastic creatures called Digimon. Some lived wild like animals, yet others congregated in villages, cities, and even Kingdoms. Normally humans didn't cross over, but there were legends of a time long ago when a raging Belphemon (whatever that was, it didn't sound good) was at last defeated by a combined team of humans and Digimon.

It seemed that humans did not rely on traditional weapons here, but rather on an arcane, intricate, and little-understood subtle bond that existed between Humans and Digimon. "_Together, a human and Digimon are far greater than the sum of their parts._"

Humans were few and far between most of the time, for only special individuals for whom destiny had great plans were sent invitations. Was it good or bad when the first thing that crossed her mind upon learning that was that it was a place her father wouldn't be able to cast his shadow over her?

Hauling herself to her feet, Jeanette found her backpack and suitcase discarded on the ground next to her. Turning her navy gaze to the landscape, she saw lush, gently rolling hills of grass dotted by several small dwellings. In the distance, the snowy caps of mountains loomed.

"You can stay here for a few days while you get your bearings," Piccolomon explained, still smiling contentedly as his young charge looked around. "Although it just so happens there's another Tamer staying here as well."

"Tamer?" Jeanette replied dimly, while brushing some errant blades of grass from her skirt.

"Tamer, Chosen Child, human, they all mean the same things to us Digimon." Piccolomon explained happily, oblivious to the nerves Jeanette was feeling. Just what had she gotten herself into?

"Konichiwa!" came a cheerful greeting from behind Jeanette. Turning, she found herself looking upon a girl a bit older and a bit taller than she was. The girl's skin tone and features suggested she was of asian heritage, face framed by short yet also rather messy reddish-brown hair. She wore a gray tank top, a black skirt, a silver-buckled belt, purple tennis shoes, and beaded wristbands. Earrings dangled from her ears, and a close look revealed eyes that sparkled with a manic energy, eyes that did not match, one blue, the other brown.

Most noticeable however was not the girl herself, but rather the creature on her shoulders as she jogged over. The creature vaguely resembled a rabbit with colossally oversized ears, fur the color of chocolate, and 3 little horns on its forehead. Soft pink fur appeared on the wrists and ankles of the main body, as well as the neck, along the ears, and at the tips of the ears that formed into three finger-like protrusions.

"Euh… Hello?" Jeanette managed with no small use of will, between greeting the two strangers and forcing her mouth to put out a letter it wasn't familiar with.

Before Jeanette knew it, the other girl was before her, taking her junior's hands in both of her own before bowing slightly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kyoko!" The Japanese youth said brightly. Though initially struck by the impulse to pull away, Jeanette found something comforting about the girl's touch. At this range, she noticed several more details about Kyoko, namely that her earrings were tiny spherical shapes, pure white with slight protrusions on the top, the etchings on them clearly made to give them a rabbit motif.

It also appeared that the big-eared rabbit thing draped across her shoulders, while hanging on with its fingers and toes, was fast asleep.

Jeanette realized Kyoko was still staring eagerly at her. "My name is Jeanette," she said, returning the other's bow before easing her hands free.

"Oh, and this here's Lopmon." The older female poked her partner lightly, but the soft snores continued. "Or Bolter, as I like to call him."

So these Digimon had names, just like people? "Piccolomon, what's your name?" asked Jeanette, looking down at the fairy who'd been observing the two humans greet one another with interest.

"Me? Just plain old Piccolomon!" He shifted his spear before looking to Kyoko. "Kyoko, why don't you show her to her room?"

"Room?" echoed Jeanette as Kyoko nodded her acknowledgement. Passing the newer tamer her backpack, Kyoko picked up the heavier suitcase.

"Sheesh, Net-Chan," Kyoko complained as she lead the way along a path worn in the grass toward one dwelling. "The heck did you pack in here?"

Flushing a bit, Jeanette looked away as she walked along a bit behind Kyoko. "Well, I was already packed…" her words trailed off in a tumbling, mumbling mess as she tried to explain it. As she walked, she saw that the landscape was dotted not only with the occasional building or tree, but also many egg-like forms, the size consistent but the colors varying from one egg to the next.

"Well, here it is," Kyoko said breezily, pushing open the door on the simple, cottage-like dwelling. The interior of the two-room building was simple and bare, yet somehow also cozy. Cupboards lined one wall, nearby was a table and several chairs, whilst opposite that were two bunk beds. Three of them were still made, but the top bunk of one had been disturbed. A sack lay at the end of the bed, Kyoko's own stash.

Stepping aside, Kyoko set the suitcase down near the entrance as Jeanette followed her in. The other door led into a bathroom, which looked surprisingly modern considering the otherwise simple accommodations.

"We can stay here for a few days, and then we can probably head north," Kyoko walked over to her chosen bed, standing on her tiptoes to transfer her passenger onto the sheets. "What do you think?" she said, turning back to the French teen with a smile.

Jeanette looked around, and then the remarkable happened as she managed a smile. Beneath the gnawing fear of just what she'd gotten herself into, there tingled eagerness at the freedom and infinite possibilities before her. Best of all, she wasn't alone. While her youth had by no means been isolated, her father had a habit of scaring off most of the people she made friends with.

Peeling off her shoes, Jeanette lightly threw herself down on the bottom of the second bunk bed. The smile turned to laughter, a mirth shared by Kyoko as the older tamer sat down at the table, nearly as glad as Jeanette for some friendly company.


	2. Chapter 2

**And So it Begins...**

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><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Southern Province, Primary Village<strong>

Jeanette lay on her soft bed in the cottage, a day having passed since her arrival in the strange new world. In turn, fast asleep on her abdomen was a yellow-eyed ball of black fluff Kyoko had called a Botamon. He'd hatched from one of the colorful eggs outside, a seeming coincidence as the French youth passed by, but Piccolomon, watching over the girls when his duties didn't have him elsewhere, told him that such was the greatest sign of fate. They were meant to be together.

She'd been told that Digimon were creatures of data, a cycle existing in the world. When a Digimon was killed, two fates awaited it. One, its data would return to primary village where it would begin its next life, or two, the data would be absorbed by the opponent. In this way, Digimon were in a way immortal, although the rebirthing process was truly a fresh start, with neither the body nor memories of the previous form.

Clutched in Jeanette's hand was a small, handheld electronic device that was called a D-Vector. It reminded her very much of some sleek cell phone or PDA, about a centimeter thick, the sides at the top angling sharply outward at first for about two centimeters and then gradually tapering back down to the base the same width as the top end. An LCD screen was set into the center of it, with four buttons to the left of it and one to the right. The one on the right caused a control pad to extend from the bottom of the device, giving full access to its functions. The base of hers was a powdery blue, while the buttons were vivid pink just like the dyed part of her hair. The back of it featured a clip, for attaching it to a belt, strap, or the like.

Kyoko carried a similar device, except hers was orange with lavender buttons. Apparently, every chosen child received such a device upon entering the Digital World, and indeed Jeanette's had mysteriously appeared in her backpack between her toothbrush and comb.

"Net-Chan?" came a voice from outside, the door popping open as Kyoko walked in. "Why'd you take off?" the Japanese youth strolled across the wooden floor, stopping next to the bed and kneeling so she was near-even with Jeanette.

But Jeanette could only flush and turn her face away. She'd lain down for a nap. It was one of the few ways she'd be able to cope with Narcolepsy. Better to take a quick nap now to sate the beast than spontaneously fall asleep at an inopportune time later. It had been one of the few things she could do back home, especially when her father refused to believe there was anything medically wrong with her.

"Awww, c'mon," said Kyoko, taking Jeanette's hand gently. "What's the matter? Homesick?"

"No, no," Jeanette muttered, still staring at the wall. "It's just…" Mustering her courage, she turned her head back to face Kyoko and reluctantly faced her heterochromatic gaze. "I 'ave a condition called Narcolepsy." She paused briefly, not of nerves, but of trying to sum up Narcolepsy to someone that had never heard of it before. "It makes it 'ard to sleep at night, and I can be really tired during ze day, even to ze point of just falling asleep any time."

Jeanette expected rejection for her condition, or a dejected, crestfallen 'Oh.' But Kyoko only smiled. "So you need a nap!" she said brightly, having caught on right away. "Should have said something earlier, silly. Meet me outside when you're ready again, okay?" With the plodding of quick sneakersteps across the room, Kyoko was gone.

Listening to Botamon's gentle, snuffling snores, Jeanette thought a bit more about Kyoko's easy reaction. It had been so... easy, to make her understand. Much as she hated the man, there were times she felt her father was right, that it was a personal flaw and she would have to deal with it to get anywhere in life. More to divert that unpleasant train of thought than anything, she thought back to the moment Botamon had hatched.

-

"See these little guys?" Kyoko said, kneeling in the grass before a cluster of three eggs. The morning sun shone brightly on the girls as Jeanette stooped next to her, staring with silent wonder at the eggs. Each was a little bit larger than her head, but each held different pigmentation.

The first egg bore an odd, tie-die like pattern of bright red and navy blue, the swirls arcing intricately across the shell. The second was seafoam green, dotted with violet symbols, resembling Xs with three concentric rings radiating outward upon them. The third was splashed with overlapping triangles of white and green.

"They call 'em Digitama. They're the eggs all Digimon are born from, whether their Earth-equivalent would come from an egg or not. " Kyoko explained.

"What-?" Jeanette began, but the question died on her lips as one of the eggs began to hatch. It was the third Digitama she'd observed, the green and white one. It started out with a slight tremor. Then a tiny crack formed. Then another. As a third crack formed, the entire thing started wobbling back and forth before it broke apart completely.

The Digimon within was a little thing, small enough to fit in Jeanette's hands, covered in black fur with two ears protruding from its head, but very little beyond that. No legs, no arms, no tail, not even a visible mouth. Shaking itself free of a few egg fragments lodged in its fur, the Botamon bounced forward, coming to a stop before Jeanette.

"Well, well, well," Piccolomon said happily, startling both humans for neither had heard them behind him. "Looks like you've got yourself a partner, Jeanette."

"M-me?" stammered Jeanette, looking from one Digimon to the other.

"Mmm-hm," Piccolomon nodded, or rather, rocked his entire body up and down. "The egg hatched for you, it knew its time had come."

"Don't worry, Net-chan," Kyoko said, standing with her younger companion, who now held the ball of fluff in her hands. "They're not too hard to raise, and they grow up way faster than humans." She pointed into the distance, where Bolter was playing tag with a few newborn Digimon. "Bolt-kun there was born just two days ago, and he's already evolved twice."

-

Suddenly a pale white light flared around the fluffball resting on Jeanette. Fighting the urge to sit bolt upright in surprise, she watched with interest. "Could it be… evolution?" She'd heard of the mysterious process by which Digimon progressed, but had not yet seen it until now.

As the white light faded, Jeanette's blue eyes took in the new form of her partner. It really did seem like an advancement, the basic features remained the same, but the ears became longer, the eyes larger and brighter, and the fur shifted in color to a mottled mixture of steely blues. A tail sprouted, and a cute, fanged mouth was now visible.

Attracted by a chirp from her D-Vector, Jeanette held it up and found herself staring at the Digimon analyzer readout on the main display.

"So you're Wanyamon, now?" she asked.

Though a stage higher, her partner seemed no more able to communicate. A rumbling purr came from his throat, tail sliding idly back and forth as he was still content to rest on her stomach. A stomach which soon rumbled. The sound briefly startled Wanyamon, causing him to fall silent and look curiously at the fabric beneath him. But Jeanette scooped him up into her arms, rising. "I'll bet you're 'ungry too."

-

Half an hour later both were seated happily in one of the chairs, having each gone through a bowl of cereal. She hadn't been certain at first that such a young creature could eat normal food, but the fully formed teeth and gusto with which he'd eaten dispelled that concern. Jeanette dabbed at Wanyamon's face where he sat in her lap, cleaning up the milk splattered by the baby Digimon's messy eating. Compulsively she stroked the Digimon's fur, finding it soft and smooth as velvet. This once again elicited a purr, tail arcing as his fanged mouth opened in a contented yawn.

"You need a name," Jeanette mused idly, rubbing her partner behind the ears. But before she could dwell on it any longer, the door of the cottage crashed open. In staggered Kyoko, thoroughly out of breath with Bolter clinging to her back.

"Net-chan, we've got trouble!" the older teenager managed between breaths, leaning against the door frame. "There's a wild Digimon that's wandered into the village. He's endangering the eggs."

"Where's Piccolomon?" Jeanette said, stopping her petting of Wanyamon. The Digimon squawked a bit, oblivious to the danger and wanting the attention to continue.

"The far side of the village," Kyoko shook her head. "Stay put, I'll take care of it."

"Wait!" said Jeanette, rising to her feet. "H-'ave you ever fought a battle before?"

But the older tamer ran from the building rather than answer, taking her D-Vector in hand as she went. Her sneakers pounded the grassy landscape, breaths coming fast and heavy as she ran. "Sheesh, Bolt-kun, you gotta lose some weight," she complained in an offhand way, shooting a look to the Lopmon clinging to her shoulders.

"Battle is as good a way as any to burn calories, eh?" the rabbit Digimon replied mischievously. Truth was, he was itching for a fight, a chance to show off and stomp some heads. Never mind the fact he was newly evolved.

The grating roar from a nearby streambed signaled to Kyoko and Bolter that they'd found their target. Coming up on the depression, Kyoko's heterochromatic eyes as well as her D-Vector's analyzer made out the same troublemaker she'd spotted earlier.

A small saurian form, bright crimson scales marked by black, with a white belly, and three sharp claws on each hand and foot. A stout tail for balance, and wild yellow eyes on a head framed by wings that reminded of tiny bat wings. _Guilmon_

"Fireball!" as the words exited the Child Digimon's mouth, they were joined by a hot streak of orange, the fireball striking a nearby tree. Flame burst across it, the smoke spiraling into the sky joining other whispers of smoke raised by the little firebug's ongoing rampage.

"Let's get him! In you go!" Kyoko said, steadying herself on the hilltop. After all, even newly arrived herself, she knew a human was no match for a Digimon's attacks.

"Easy for you to say," grumbled Bolter, not moving just yet. "You're not the one who…" he trailed off, sensing the futility of arguing. Besides, Guilmon's destructive track was taking him dangerously close to a batch of eggs. "Blazing Ice!" On the final syllable, a bullet composed of naught but air shot from his mouth, striking Guilmon hard in the shoulder.

With a feral growl the saurian's yellow eyes snapped to his assailant. "Fireball!" With a split second to spare, Kyoko hit the deck. While tamer went down, Digimon went up, putting his oversized ears to good use and gliding to the ground after the attack had safely passed.

"That was close," breathed Kyoko, rising back to her feet as Guilmon paused to scrutinize his enemies.  
>"This will be closer!" barked Bolter "Petit Twister!" Spinning rapidly like a top, the Lopmon shot toward his larger adversary, ready to deliver a punishing barrage of blows with his ears.<p>

"Rock Breaker!" With a punch of iron-dense claws at the oncoming twister, Guilmon sent Bolter slamming backwards.

"Ah!" Kyoko cried out in alarm, wincing as her partner was hurt for the first time. But the Lopmon wasn't nearly done yet, he wasn't about to lose his first battle, even if he, newly-born, was at a disadvantage of a Digimon living on its own in the wild.

But another roar split the air, and suddenly it was in question as to whether this one saurian was actually alone.

-

Jeanette paced back and forth in the cottage, wishing she'd managed to pay a bit more attention. Kyoko had taught her plenty about the D-Vector, but was there any communicator built into it? It seemed silly for something to look like a cell phone and not have the functions of one, but it also seemed silly that Jeanette was in another dimension carrying for a cat-head thing that came from an egg.

Wanyamon seemed to sense his tamer's agitation, making an odd yowling noise as his fur seemed to stand on end. "Oh, I shouldn't 'ave let 'er go alone," As ever, when Jeanette's focus lapsed, her accent became more apparent. As she completed another circuit around the table, she felt the ground tremor. Then again. And a third time. _Footsteps._ Something very large must have been headed this way.

Throwing the door open, Jeanette ran outside. If the mystery wild Digimon Kyoko had mentioned was headed this way, the one she'd gone to stop…

The brunette was nowhere to be found, but what Jeanette saw left her jaw slack and her knees weak as fear tingled across her body. A creature of a lost age stomped toward the cottage, two splayed feet with three white claws, a powerful body sheathed in blue scales, vestigial arms, a broad tail, and a blocky head lined with dozens of teeth like knives. Jeanette's D-Vector indentified it as an Allomon, but as the creature's dripping maw opened wide and gave a bone-rattling roar, Jeanette knew it could only be the end. The Allomon fixed its beady eyes on her as it strode toward the cottage, the distance closing as the French youth was paralyzed by fear.

"Kyoko…" the words came from her dry mouth as barely a whisper. "Help…" Her prayer was answered, but not in the way she'd expected. The screen on her D-Vector suddenly glowed with a brilliant white radiance, a light soon matched around Wanyamon.

"Wanyamon evolve to Strabimon!" The little ball of fluff slid from Jeanette's grasp, the light reshaping him. A wiry bipedal form covered in pale, metallic blue fur, clad in white pants, black gloves, and a number of curiously-placed black belts, a lupine head with two ears not unlike those of his lower state, and two green eyes with a wild intelligence lurking in them.

The Strabimon's clawed feet dug into the dirt as the newly-evolved Digimon took a defensive stance before his tamer. "Jeanette, please stay back." The Strabimon's voice, crisp and totally calm, made one additional thing clear: he was a she.

"Wha, wha," stammered Jeanette. "What can you do against that thing?" Her terrified blue eyes found the Allomon again, the beast unimpressed by the evolution and still bearing towards his next meal.

"Kill it," the Strabimon announced simply, making it clear that what confidence the tamer lacked, the partner had. As the saurian approached, the Strabimon readied herself for battle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Defend Primary Village!**

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Southern Province, Primary Village<strong>

"Dynamite head!" The Allomon roared, leveling his head and charging. Strabimon tensed up, then swung a kick to the side. The blow was forceful enough to send Jeanette to the ground, but not enough to seriously harm her – only get her out of the way.

The blue-scaled saurian plowed through the edge of the building, having missed Strabimon completely as she jumped onto his head. "Light Nail!" With silvery light flashing from the wicked claws on her hands, she slashed at the Allomon's eye.

Roaring in pain as his scales were torn, the Digimon swung his head to the side in an attempt to dislodge his adversary. Slamming into the corner of the cottage, his efforts were successful as the battered-but-not-out form of Strabimon landed roughly on the ground.

"Dino Burst!" as fire streamed from Allomon's maw, Strabimon dashed to the side. Grass crisped, wilted, and burned to ash in her wake as the heat washed across it. Though it seemed like a proverbial match of David versus Goliath, Strabimon a head shorter than Jeanette against Allomon the size of a house, it quickly became apparent that what the saurian had in size and power, he lacked terribly in agility, particularly against such a small target.

"Light Leg!" the same silvery light flared from Strabimon's boot as it made hard contact with the back of Allomon's leg. Though the saurian bellowed in pain, he swung his head down and around, teeth glinting dangerously. Pushing off with her hand, Strabimon avoided the fanged attack by inches as she dropped toward the ground.  
>"Light Nail!" Leaping upward immediately, she again scratched at Allomon's eyes. But for the second time her claws met only scales, not the softer flesh she was after. Landing again, Strabimon's eyes passed up across Allomon's back.<p>

But as she was planning, Allomon was acting. A vicious slash of his tail sent Strabimon tumbling across the grass. "Dino Burst!" The fire breath attack again, and this time Strabimon was in no position to run from it.

Resisting the urge to cry out, she fought her way back to her feet as the attack abated. Casting her eyes to the edge of the battlefield, she saw Jeanette standing where she'd been thrown to by Strabimon herself.

Jeanette was terrified beyond words, the creature she'd been charged with raising had just gone into battle, a battle that wasn't going well at all. Dusting debris from the damaged house off, she pulled out her D-Vector, but grasping desperately at the straws of knowledge Kyoko had given her on the device's function, she couldn't remember anything of use. That it was vital, sure, but not what those vital functions were.

With a deep, grunting sniff, Allomon's beady eyes settled on the young tamer as well. The scent was sweet, gentle, and unusual, but unmistakably meat.

If such things were possible, the panic in Jeanette intensified as the saurian lumbered toward her. This was it. The end of her 'grand' adventure in the Digital World, with fanged death spreading as Allomon's maw descended toward her. Her knees felt shaky, both directly and indirectly caused by the fear of impending doom.

Brilliant blue light flared from her right hand, resembling nothing so much as faint azure fire coming from her palm. "Digi… Soul," she whispered, entranced as the fear was suddenly wiped away. Her blue eyes fixed the charging Allomon, when a blur shot in from the side.

"I cannot allow you to harm her," Strabimon stood dead in the path of Allomon's assault, holding back the saurian's wicked maw with her clawed hands. The same flickering blue light around Jeanette's hand was likewise around the child Digimon's form, seeming to be the source of the unerring strength allowing her to hold on.

The Allomon roared, pushed, heaved, and jerked, but couldn't break free of Strabimon's grip. His beady eyes fixed on Jeanette, he gave another bone-jarring roar. "Light Nail!" her claws flared with energy, tearing into the scaly blue snout.

Worming free at last, Allomon pulled back. With a grunting growl he took a step back, considering his adversary. Strabimon still stood at the ready before Jeanette, the latter looking still quite scared but with the confidence of hope sustaining her.

With a final bellow, Allomon took one, two, three thunderous steps forward, blocky head dropping, dripping maw opening wide to swallow the upstart Digimon whole.

_Tssssccchhh!_

Strabimon blurred into motion, a blade of pure energy extending from a small handgrip. With liquid grace she ducked under the attack and jammed the sword upward.

Allomon staggered sideways, giving a pathetic sort of groan as he keeled over sideways. A vibration rocked the ground, its fall in death as fearsome as any of its roars in life.

"We," whispered Jeanette, staring at the fallen reptile. "Did it." But her world was quickly growing dim, an undeniable urge to sleep so familiar yet also new overtaking her. The DigiSoul flickered and died, and as it did so, Strabimon too felt the full weight of fatigue from her actions.

"_Jeanette?"  
>"Jeanette?"<br>"Net-chan?"  
>"Net-chan!"<br>"Can you hear me?"_

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Southern Province, Town of Fraeno<strong>

Jeanette Roy eased back into the world of the living. She was wrapped in something soft, warm, and generally cozy, and for a few moments, she was ready to drift back to sleep. But the last memories she had came trickling back. The Digital World, it wasn't just a dream. But Kyoko? Allomon? Strabimon? The curious light she'd somehow known was called DigiSoul?

Laying on her back, the girl's blue eyes flickered back open. Everything was blurry, but she was able to make out the ceiling above her, brightly lit, painted plaster like any she might see at home any day of the week.

"Missing these?" came a voice laced with sweet cheer. The smooth and cool frames of her glasses were slipped onto her face, and with focus returned to her eyes, Jeanette made out the tanned face of Kyoko leaning over her.

The Japanese tamer looked thoroughly relieved to see her friend awake again. "Finally," she said quietly, sitting back down on a chair perched right beside Jeanette's bed. Looking around, Jeanette was in a surprisingly modern hospital, nothing like the simple cottage in Primary Village.

Crisp white curtains helped to screen the bright sunlight streaming in through the window into the small room. The room itself was clean while still comfortable, centered around the single bed she lay upon. A hospital recovery room, something the youth was more familiar with than she wanted to be.

"How much sleep do you need? It's been three days."

At this, Jeanette felt another flare of shame. But it must have reflected in her face, for Kyoko briefly brushed a hand against her face.  
>"It's nothing to do your condition. You remember that light around your hand during the fight?"<br>"DigiSoul?" Jeanette muttered, still remembering the phenomenon's name.  
>"Uh-huh," Kyoko nodded "It's…" she struggled to mimic Piccolomon's explanation. "A manifestation of your body's energy. And well, you dumped all of it into your partner at once. A newborn Digimon shouldn't have had any chance at all of winning that battle, but," Kyoko's heterochromatic gaze shifted toward the foot of Jeanette's bed. Visible leaning against the wall was a form that had initially been overlooked for it was still as a statue.<p>

Strabimon stood against the wall, arms folded, head down and eyes closed. She looked as fierce as ever. "You should avoid expending all your energy like that in the future, Jeanette." Easing herself into a sitting position, the French youth's first reaction was that it sounded like something her father would say.

"She was worried," Kyoko said, leaning closer to Jeanette with a smile.

"I was not worried," Strabimon said, still calm where she stood. "It is only natural for me to advise how to avoid any future complications."

While Jeanette could only frown, the Strabimon's words prompted a small giggle from Kyoko. The younger teen began to rise, but met a hand on her shoulder pushing her back down. "The doctor said you were just exhausted, not hurt or anything. But you just kept right on sleeping, and she said to take things easy once you got up.

"'Ow is Bolter?" Jeanette realized she hadn't seen the little Lopmon. But the question left a little bit of pink visible on Kyoko's face.

"He had to undergo treatment," she said, closing her eyes, and covering her embarrassment with laughter. "The battle was a little rough on him, but he's a weenie, too."

"Anyways," Kyoko said rising. "I should go check on him, but I wanted to be here when you woke up." Stepping back, she cast a sideways glance at Strabimon. "There's still a lot more to tell you about, but I'll just leave you two together while you rest, Net-Chan." The lupine humanoid gave no acknowledgment as the other tamer passed by her and out the door.

"Oh!" said Jeanette, picking herself up a little to look at Strabimon. The Digimon hadn't move so much as a hair beyond her mouth since Jeanette awoke, but there was something she had to know. "What's your name?"

"Excuse me?" Strabimon asked with the same statue-esque calm.

"W-well," Jeanette fumbled. "Kyoko's partner has a name, and it wouldn't feel right just calling you by your species name all the time-"

Strabimon held up a clawed palm, something so stationary suddenly moving was in itself enough to leave Jeanette silent. "You may call me… Artemis." Eyelids slid slowly back to reveal her vibrant green eyes, and at last the Strabimon, now named Artemis, stood and strode gracefully from the room, leaving the tamer to recover from her exertions in peace and quiet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Five Drivers**

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Southern Province, Town of Fraeno<strong>  
>"C'mon, Net-chan!" Kyoko said playfully, dragging the French teen through the streets by the hand. Panting as she tried to keep up, Jeanette nonetheless observed the city around her. And that's really what it seemed like, not the quaint grasslands cottages of Primary Village, but it seemed like any city anyone might see on Earth - with the exception of the inhabitants, who ranged in shape, size, and color to dizzying extents. The D-Vector tucked in her jacket pocket hadn't stopped chiming as it analyzed each Digimon.<p>

Artemis, Jeanette's self-named Strabimon partner, followed along easily behind her, the frozen cold in her eyes causing even Digimon twice her size to give her plenty of space as she strode easily down the street. There were no cars here, just winding passages of concrete through a low-density urban area.

It had only been a few hours since Jeanette had awoken from her several days' of slumber that she found the strength to get the Nurse's approval and leave the hospital. The hospital staff had likewise been Digimon, the nurse calling herself Bitmon.

Just when Jeanette felt like Kyoko's exuberant pull was the only thing keeping her going, the two teens at last came to a stop. They were in the city park, lush foliage and a vine-covered perimeter wall nearly hiding the fact that they _were_ in a city. A stream trickled through the area, widening in a pond at their feet.

Doubling over, Jeanette heaved as she tried to catch her breath. _Guess it's a good thing I'm not asthmatic_ was all she thought, looking up at Kyoko, who while sweating a little, seemed like she was just getting warmed up. As it turned out, Kyoko Yumi was fifteen years old, the only daughter and middle child of a middle-class family in Tokyo Japan.

Bubblegum popped and cracked on a continuous circuit amid the girl's teeth and tongue, standing at the water's edge and simply enjoying the cool air. "This is Fraeno, a nice little town in the southern province of the Kingdom."

Catching her breath at last, Jeanette nodded her understanding, whilst out of the corner of her navy gaze she saw Artemis walking slowly up behind them, still lurking in the shadow of a tree. Speckles of the midday sun made it through the trees to the three below, but it seemed for the moment there weren't any Digimon nearby in the park.

Jeanette couldn't help but wonder about her chosen partner sometimes. From such an easygoing little ball of fluff to a cold, stoic, and silent warrior. With a huff that left several strands of pink hair dangling across her glasses, Jeanette wondered if it might have just been a Digimon's growth cycle as opposed to a human. Humans grew gradually, and changed gradually as well. But with a flash of light, Digimon could change in the blink of an eye. Had Artemis simply done all that maturing in the one instant she shed the steely-furred form of Wanyamon?

"Hey, Net-chan," Kyoko said, wandering back toward the younger tamer. "Pull out your D-Vector, will you?"

Jeanette obliged, holding out the blue and pink device with more than a little confusion evident on her face.

After tapping a few buttons, Kyoko handed it back and pointed at the screen. "See that readout in the upper-left corner?"

"Oui," she replied reflexively as she looked at the little green bar in the corner.

"That's your DigiSoul's charge level," Kyoko explained, then holding up her own orange and lavender digivice. "That's mine," To Jeanette's surprise, Kyoko's charge meter was less than half her own in size.

"The nurse pointed it to me while you were sleeping," the older teen continued quietly, lacking the exuberance she so often had when speaking.

"What are you getting at?"

"Everyone's DigiSoul varies a little in strength. Some are a bit stronger, others weaker, and some just average. All can grow over time, but that's the weird thing." Kyoko settled her heterochromatic gaze on the younger tamer. "My DigiSoul is on the strong side for someone that's never had a chance to develop. But you, your's is almost twice as powerful as mine."

"So iz zat… iz zat why Artemis was able to beat Allomon?"

"I think so. It wasn't just spending all your energy to help Artemis, it was having so much in the first place."

"Why?" A logical question, but as Kyoko shook her head and merely shrugged, it was clear it wasn't one that had an answer. "So what do we do now?"

"Whatever we want!" Kyoko said with a smile, idly flicking at one of the little earrings she wore. "I've got a room at one of the city apartments, and from there, really, what we do is up to us. Skip eating our veggies, swim after a big meal, explore the world," her smile broadened, the first two comments merely jokes, but the third something she very much looked forward to.

As much as the freedom and escape from her father seemed like a dream come true, Jeanette couldn't help but feel discomfort at the idea of traveling in a Digital World where creatures like Allomon could attack at a moment's notice.

She gave another glance at Artemis, who was standing near a tree at perfect attention with her eyes closed. As the trees creaked or an odd word flitted their way on the wind, her ears would twitch, but beyond that, it was an almost eerie stillness.

"Take this," Jeanette jerked as Kyoko's words, having drifted off into her own little world for a moment. The Japanese tamer was holding what by all appearances was a small sliver of plastic out to her, black with unrecognizable characters etched along it in gray, and a single arrow pointing toward one end of the device. "Load it into your D-Vector," As Jeanette accepted the chip, Kyoko pulled out another one. "These were supposed to be our next lesson," she said with a bit of nervous laughter.

Finding a slot along the bottom of her D-Vector, Jeanette did as requested by her mentor. Eyes flicking back up to the screen, she noticed a shift from the flower field background it normally held. It was possible to change them, but she enjoyed the background so she'd never messed with it. But as the D-Vector read the small chip, a menu appeared.

_Driver Upload Initiated_

_…  
>D-AMP<br>Angel's Assault  
>Gemini Effect<br>Camaraderie  
>Celsius Tandem<em>

_Upload Complete  
>Drivers Installed and Ready For Use<em>

"The D-Vector can absorb chips and read the Drivers stored on them. The chip is destroyed, but the resulting modifications to the D-Vector's programming allow you to focus your DigiSoul to given effects." As before, whatever else Kyoko might have been, she was smart and a quick study.

"So it just focuses my DigiSoul's energy to help Artemis? I already did that."  
>"Yeah," Kyoko said, nodding in a 'good-point-but-you're-still-not-correct-kind-of-way.' "But 'free handing' with your DigiSoul, unless you're <em>real<em> good with it, you waste a lot of energy. With the right Drivers you would have been able to beat Allomon without tiring yourself so bad in the process."

This caused a bit of blush on Jeanette's cheek for her blunder, however unintentional, but as the menu on her D-Vector shifted again. Blinking, she realized it was in fact a list of the Drivers she'd just been given, but there was one other item present - Second Ken. "Kyoko, what is zhis?"

Leaning a bit closer to read the screen as it was presented, Kyoko read the screen with confusion evident in her eyes. "Wha? Chips are only supposed to come with five Drivers…"

"Was it on zer before?"

"Maybe," said Kyoko, scratching her temple and looking rather thoughtfully up at the leaves above with her mismatched eyes. "Second Ken… Second Sword, maybe?" She gave a sigh, looking at her D-Vector with a slightly mournful air. "You got all the good ones, Net-Chan…"

But before the discussion could continue, a chirping tone came from the device. Recognizing the signal, Kyoko clicked a button and said "Yes?" Into the device.

"Kyoko," Bolter's voice issued from the D-Vector's speaker, and both teens picked up on the unmistakable tension in his voice. "How many people know Jeanette is staying with you?" A rock formed in the French teen's stomach at the question, apprehension reflecting in her eyes as she looked back at Kyoko.

When the redhead could only shrug and mutter "Idunno", the Lopmon went on.

"Well, someone in a cloak just knocked at the door asking if she was around. I couldn't see his face, I told him to get lost and that if he didn't I'd give 'em a fat lip. He left after that, but said he'd stay in touch."

"Tcheyah," Kyoko muttered, sighing briefly. She didn't like the sound of that. "C'mon, we'd better get back there." With a click, the phone-like component the D-Vector must have contained went dead.

"Is that ze best idea?" Jeanette wondered, plainly nervous with the idea of a cloaked stranger looking specifically for her in this town.

At last Artemis walked closer to the group, words and stance both conveying the utmost calm and confidence within the young warrior. "If anyone seeks to harm you, I will deal with them."

With that uneasy promise, the trio headed out of the serenity of the park, and toward the apartment complex, Kyoko hoping fervently that Bolter would be okay when they arrived.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Mysterious Stranger**

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><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Southern Province, Outskirts of Fraeno<strong>  
>"Ahhh," Kyoko breathed a contended sigh, standing in the midst of the grassy field, arms out to her sides as a gentle summer's breeze played over her. Bolter too seemed to be enjoying himself, the Lopmon's ears flapping in the breeze behind Kyoko like some scarf as he clung to her back as usual.<p>

The weather could have hardly been more perfect for their trip outside the city, at least in that pair's opinion. Jeanette did seem to be enjoying herself, but she retained her jacket. Artemis, meanwhile, appeared emotionless as ever, following a half-step behind and a little to the side of her tamer wherever the blonde went.

A picnic, Kyoko had said, in a last ditch attempt to get Jeanette to leave the relative safety of the city. It seemed that the girl's rather traumatic encounter with the Allomon at Primary Village had addled her a bit, or maybe she was still settling in.

A little bit of combat training hadn't helped. Though the simulations of the city's "Dojo" as the Kougamon running things had insisted it be called were rather crude, often nothing more than wooden mannequins that would slide back and forth to test a ranged shooter's accuracy, or mock enemies that would pop up and 'attack' as the trainee wound their way through the maze. Artemis, Bolter, and even Kyoko all managed that course easily, but Jeanette panicked several times when the dummies jumped out at her, and even when her reaction wasn't that bad, her heart still raced. She just wasn't used to this. Several times she'd been forced to call it quits when cataplexy, muscle weakness stemming from her narcolepsy, set in.

They'd wandered outside of town into a quiet region of the forest, off the main road and surrounded on all sides by foliage ranging from little shrubs and bushes to towering trees that were easily many decades old. The earthy browns and greens were soothing to the quartet, Jeanette in particular. "H-how about zis place?" Jeanette asked tentatively, attempting as often to overcome an accent that came from years of speaking another language.

"Yeah, how about it?" chimed Bolter. "All this walking is making me hungry."

"Who are you kidding," Kyoko said, mock-angry, poking the Lopmon between the eyes. "All you've done is hang your fat keister off my shoulder."

"What do you think, Artemis?" Jeanette turned to the Strabimon at her side. But the steely humanoid wolf turned her jade gaze elsewhere. Far from Bolter's playful, often flashy demeanor, Artemis was… cold. There were times Jeanette felt like she was a barely-tolerated nuisance to an animated statue, despite the Digimon's claims that the tamer's safety was all that mattered.

Both human girls shrugged off the packs they were wearing, packed with food for their midday meal. It wasn't long before the blanket was sprawled across a patch of a little grassy clearing, with their food organized atop it, mostly Jeanette's doing as she carefully unpacked it.

Bolter was a little impatient, tearing into a bag of chips the moment Jeanette pulled it out of one of the packs. Undaunted by both her startled exclamation and advice that one was _not_ supposed to eat the packaging, the brown rabbit-like Digimon tore into the bag and was crunching away on the contents before too long, but not before a good-sized piece of foil had been ripped off the bag and consumed to give him access to the contents.

"Kyoko?" Jeanette asked of the other tamer, while her eyes drifted nervously over to Artemis, who stood at the edge of the blanket as though at rigid attention.

"Yeah, Net-chan?" Kyoko called back easily, while pouring herself a cup of juice.

"'Ow did you end up in ze Digital World?" Jeanette asked, plopping down on the blanket next to Kyoko, mimicking her cross-legged sitting stance.

"Me?" Kyoko asked, ruffling a hand through her hair. "I got an e-mail inviting me. After going back and forth a few times, I wound up in the Digital World, about four days before I met you." She added the last bit as an afterthought, her heterochromatic eyes accurately interpreting the questioning look on Jeanette's face. "It's nice to have some company," she flashed a toothy grin before taking a sip from her juice. "Digimon are nice but sometimes you just gotta have human company."

Jeanette flushed a bit, but then asked another question. "Why did you decide to come? Why leave behind what you had back in Japan?" She was understandably curious why others had made the same choice she did.

"Well," Kyoko leaned back, trailing off in thought and buying herself time to think by biting into a muffin. "I'd never heard anything about any of this, I even did a little research on the 'net," Bolter interrupted with a laugh at her pun "I figured whoever invited me must have had a real good reason, it's such a rare opportunity, it would be an insult to turn it down."

Jeanette had just started on a turkey sandwich, nodding her understanding of Kyoko's logic.

"And now you're here with me," Bolter chuckled mischievously, while eating a pear. "Just what every Digimon needs, a tamer who will carry him everywhere and give him all the food he could ever want."

"Aaand bail his butt out of trouble when he starts losing a fight against Black Guilmon," Kyoko needled, but while affectionately poking his belly. They continued back and forth until it evolved into a wrestling match that Bolter was sadly outdone in, but Jeanette had tuned out. Digimon were a lot like people in that they were all different, but Jeanette couldn't help the rock in her gut that told her Artemis's coldness had at least something to do with her own shortcomings. Reckless, wasn't that what the bipedal lupine had called her powering the Digimon up sufficiently to win her first battle?

Jeanette's blue eyes snapped back to the present just in time to watch Kyoko pry Bolter's ears from around her neck and playfully slam the Lopmon to the picnic blanket and pin him down at arm's length. All he could do now was scratch and scrabble at her forearms, even his ears too short to reach anything else.

The observing tamer gave a giggle and a grin before motion caught the corner of her eye, as Artemis suddenly vaulted up into a tree. But it seemed she was not preparing for battle, for instead she stood poised on a branch. "Artemis, will you come back down 'ere?" Jeanette's stomach squirmed, for she did not feel comfortable ordering her partner around. "Aren't you 'ungry?"

"I am not," Artemis replied calmly. "Further, the foodstuffs you and Kyoko have selected are of poor nutritional value."

"The foodstuffs you have selected are of poor nutritional value," Bolter mimicked with mocking tones. Kyoko released him, ending their wrestling match as a smile was shared between them.

The silence stretched as three of the four settled in to enjoy the picnic, Artemis apparently content to play lookout. Until, to Jeanette's surprise, the Strabimon spoke. "Did any among you notice the heightened activity in Fraeno as we departed?"

Three heads looked up in surprise, and three heads shook in negative response before Artemis continued. "I noted a messenger passing us into town at that time. He seemed quite tense, and I have noted an increase in activity in the regions around town."

"Is zat what you've been up to?" Jeanette wondered, placing down the water she was drinking.

"Yes," Artemis nodded deftly. "I have been listening very closely, and although I would have preferred an opportunity to investigate more closely, I could not leave your side."

Maybe Jeanette had been imagining things, but there seemed to be just a little bit of warmth in her partner's last few words.

"Hmm," Bolter crossed his arms, apparently in deep thought.  
>"Bit for your thoughts?" Kyoko asked, while biting off a chunk of a chocolate bar.<br>"There have been a lot more reports of activity from the Dark Army lately," The Lopmon looked up at Kyoko.  
>"Bandits maybe?" Kyoko scratched her chin while she chewed, oblivious to the bad manners. "I've heard crime is a problem these days."<br>All the talk of dark things and bandits sent Jeanette's head spinning, but a quick gulp of cool, clear water helped clear her mind.

"Alert!" called Artemis, suddenly tense. Kyoko and Jeanette were baffled by what had drawn the Strabimon's attention. But Bolter stood up, at least as much so as a creature so short as he could, facing the same direction as Artemis. His ears were clearly good for something, picking up the sound of someone crashing through the underbrush.

A figure clad in a gray cloak strode toward them, weaving through the underbrush and stepping carefully around roots that might otherwise snare feet. The figure was best described as likely humanoid, but the head was hidden by a hood, and the hands obscured in the folds of the sleeves.

Artemis leapt down from her branch, landing at the edge of the blanket between Jeanette and the stranger with liquid grace. "Stranger, identify yourself!"

Bolter meanwhile looked up at Kyoko, whom nodded. Drawing her D-Vector in preparation for possible battle, the Japanese teen watched as the Lopmon ran up to take a position at Artemis's side.

The cloaked figure stopped. "I mean you no harm." The stranger's voice sounded human enough, but then again many Digimon Jeanette had run across would sound human if she closed her eyes. Young, calm… and male. An immediate frown formed on her face.

Artemis's nails seemed to glint silver as she settled into a ready stance, apparently distrusting someone who concealed their identity more than she would trust someone who claimed to mean no harm.

"But the same can't be said for everyone else around here," the stranger continued, shadows masking his face even as he seemed to look at Jeanette and Kyoko. "Bad things are on the horizon. If I were you, I'd circle around town and head straight west, toward the coastal forests."

Bolter's eyes narrowed. "You again!"  
>"Who?" asked Kyoko, standing close to Jeanette's side.<br>"The one who was asking where Jeanette was before." The young mammal replied, staring at the stranger with strong dislike.

"Trust me," the cloaked stranger continued. "The sooner you get going, the better. I wouldn't even recommend stopping off at your apartment –"

"And why," Jeanette cut him off, the look on her face frightening chiefly in how out of place it was, an anger that seemed to surpass even Bolter's "Do you say zat, _garcon_?" she piled as much disdain as possible into the last word, meaning boy, its use on anyone older considered poor manners. "You expect us to leave everyzing except what we 'ave with us now, why? Because of _your_ word?" Her voice raised, even Kyoko seemed a little alarmed by the normally-meek girl's reaction, for the Japanese youth had been willing to put at least some credibility into his words.

Artemis's eyes narrowed a hair, detecting the shiver of discomfort that ran through the cloaked stranger. "T-trust me," for how calmly he'd spoken earlier, getting yelled at apparently wasn't in his plan, for now he sounded nervous, stuttering. "I know I'm asking a lot, but I wouldn't tell you this if it wasn't so important."

"Why should we trust you when you don't trust _us_, Monsieur 'ood-over-my-face?" Jeanette replied, anger burning in the blue eyes behind her glasses.

To their surprise, the stranger who hadn't shown any discomfort as Artemis clearly readied herself for a fight was disturbed the words of the French tamer. A mumble that might have been an apology came from his lips before he spoke again more audibly. "I guess my only right was to try and warn you. What you do is up to you… Good luck."

With that, the stranger turned about and left the way he'd come. "Jeanette, shall I engage him?" Artemis inquired.

The French youth, still irate, appeared on the verge of saying yes when Kyoko's hand fell on her shoulder. "No, no," she said, a little frantically, shaking her head to try and dissuade the younger tamer.

"Mayhaps we should take a look in town?" proposed Bolter, waddling back over onto the blanket. "Between what Artemis has been overhearing and his warning," he glanced back at the gray-shrouded figure, but he'd since gone. "We should head back to town and take a look around?"

"Oui," murmured Jeanette while Kyoko nodded. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she suddenly stripped off the jacket as though it were suffocating her, revealing the pink top she wore. She didn't like feeling this way, but she hated people like that even more, trying to boss her around with "because I said so" and "trust me". Her expression was as clouded as her thoughts.

"You okay, Net-chan?" Kyoko asked as the quartet busied themselves with cleaning up, it seemed perhaps even Artemis wanted the group to get moving toward town again and see what the fuss was about.

"Que? It's nothing," the other tamer replied reflexively, leaving Kyoko feeling a little off-put as they continued tucking the items back into their packs, Jeanette's now-sloppy style not lost on Kyoko. Something was bothering her, but she wasn't open to sharing it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Taken East**

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Southern Province, Town of Fraeno<strong>

Fear built in the four's imaginations as they drew closer to the city, Artemis moving to the front of the group. But as they drew nearer, beyond an intangible tension in a few of the Digimon passing them and heading out of the city, nothing seemed amiss.

But as the cityscape soon enveloped them, they arrived in the town square, and found things unmistakably amiss. A large crowd of the town's citizens had gathered, a handful of large Digimon ringing the perimeter. Like three-meter suits of living armor with vivid blue eyes visible beneath their visor, gleaming silver plate, and a massive broadsword and shield. Knightmon, according to Kyoko's D-Vector, the tamer feeling a bit of anxiety herself. Bolter clung to her back, while Jeanette stood very close at her side and Artemis remained vigilant before them.

Kyoko stood on her tiptoes to try and see what was happening, but the writhing mass of Digimon was too high an obstacle until…

Over the bustling voices, questions of what was going on and wild rumors, ranging from the end of the Digital World to the King decreeing that today was the Kindgom's wear your undergarments on the outside day, an authoritative male voice rang out.

"I bear news from the Throne," ascending a platform in the town square, another Knightmon quickly became visible, but unlike the rest of his kin with colored cloth draped only from their belt, he wore a blue and gold mantle from which hung a cape little disturbed by the wind.

"Forces of the Dark Army are gathering to the east, unacceptably close to the Arcwater Fortress." He paused, and even at the distance it was, Kyoko and Jeanette both got the distinct impression he was glaring at the townspeople as though somehow they weren't helping the matter.

His words put a stir through the crowd, Bolter grumbling to himself before speaking aloud. "Arcwater is one of two forts standing between us and the Eastern unknown regions."

"No wonder people are worried it's in danger," Jeanette muttered, mouth feeling suddenly dry.

"We are activating this town's militia unit and heading northeast at first light tomorrow morning to reinforce the fort. " The lead Knightmon continued. "To those in the militia, rally here at sunrise tomorrow and speak to an Officer for instructions."

"It appears as though that cloaked figure's warning was well-intended," Artemis said quietly, her wary eyes upon the other Knightmon. Even as they stood like statues, something seemed… off.

Jeanette could only make a derisive noise as the lead Knightmon continued speaking. "What do we do, Kyoko?" she asked apprehensively, looking to the older teen for guidance.

"Get out?" Bolter suggested from his usual perch on Kyoko's back.

Kyoko's mismatched eyes wandered the group. She wasn't sure why the army passing through was bothering everybody. They were all much too recent to be in the militia this Knightmon was talking about. So what was the big deal? "Fine, fine," she said. "We'll slip back up to the apartment, collect our stuff, and be on our way."

The lead Knightmon concluded his speech and disappeared back below the head of the crowd. Still lurking at the back, Kyoko, Jeanette, Bolter, and Artemis slipped away.

They wound there way through the streets, toward the apartment complex, until a figure stepped out and blocked their path. "Hey," Kyoko began, until she looked up and realized it was the towering, cloth-draped figure of the lead Knightmon. "Can we help you?" she asked flatly, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.

Artemis reached up and gently wrapped a clawed hand around Jeanette's forearm, but as the silvery lupine turned to go back the way they'd come, a pair of Knightmon barred the far end of the street.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Bolter said, glaring with hostility unabashed by the size difference.

The Knightmon's eyes passed over the Lopmon for a moment, before shifting to the two humans. "I thought I saw the pair of you lurking at the back of the town gathering." He seemed to smirk despite his face being concealed in armor. "As this moment, humans, you are conscripts in my squad. I expect you to follow orders any of my 'mon give you to the letter. You will be leaving with us in the morning. Am I clear?" His words were given with all the force one would expect from a hard-line military officer.

Bolter stuck his tongue. "No, you're Knightmon," was his sarcastic reply.  
>Jeanette gulped, not all enamored with the idea of talking back to someone wielding a sword bigger than she.<p>

The lead Knightmon gestured with his arm, and as Artemis looked back, the two Knightmon at the other end of the street began advancing.

"Hey!" interrupted a Psychemon operating a small fruit stand nearby, taking an interest in the display. "You can't just conscript anyone you feel like, it's in the Constitution –"

"Indeed you'll find I am operating perfectly within the law," Knightmon replied snidely, glaring at the colorful, pelt-wearing reptilian. "Humans have no standing in Chronian Law. If I wish to draft them for the powers they posses to give us an edge to _save your sorry skin_ from the dark army, so be it. If I wish to kill them should they refuse me, I may do that as well."

"Not good," breathed Kyoko, looking back and forth. "C'mon!" She grabbed Jeanette by the hand and pulled down conveniently-located a side alley, hopefully too narrow for the cumbersome warriors to fit down. Hopefully by the time smaller soldiers could arrive they could get away.

Sadly, Jeanette had the will to follow Kyoko, but not the means. Not more than a few panicked, running steps, and her ill body got the better of her as her knees gave out. Cataplexy again, often triggered by emotional stress, and her muscles could have hardly picked a worse time to become selectively uncooperative. "Zut!" the blonde exclaimed.

Stumbling, Jeanette pulled Kyoko off balance. Artemis quickly reached down and tried to pull the blonde to her feet again, but it was too late. The lead Knightmon's blade crashed down, cutting them off from the alley, and eliciting a frightened yelp from Kyoko as sharpened steel missed her by inches. He glared down at them. "Last chance. Your partners will be taken along as insurance of your obedience. Once the battle is won, I _might_ release you."

Kyoko gritted her teeth as she helped Jeanette to her feet, pulling an arm across her shoulders to help support her. There just didn't seem to be any way out of this situation… except fight as this Knightmon ordered them to and hope the dark army wasn't all it was cracked up to be. They'd only just gotten the hang of evolving their own partners, now this warrior wanted to lug them around like just more equipment in an arsenal for the benefit of his army?

"Artemis," Jeanette whispered frantically to her nearby partner "If I use my Digi-"  
>But the Strabimon cut her off. "Jeanette, please do as he says." Her black claws tightened almost uncomfortably around the tamer's bicep.<p>

Kyoko's free hand clenched into a fist, her face into a scowl. "Looks like we don't have a choice," she said as the two forms of the Knightmon stood behind them, eclipsing the late afternoon sun.

-  
>The two tamers had been locked in the back of a wagon, one of roughly a dozen parked in a staggered line. The closed hold had been cleared of any useful material, converting it into a makeshift prison for the commander's prizes. Their digivices were gone, as were the majority of their belongings. Their partners were detained "elsewhere," according to one of the guards posted outside the locked door in the back of the wagon.<p>

An attack had Jeanette unconscious as the sun slunk beneath the horizon, while Kyoko knocked, poked, and probed every board composing the eight by six by six compartment. There had to be a weakpoint, some place. Right?

Wrong. "Mo ii-yo!" Kyoko sighed the word in exasperation, flopping back against the side wall of the wagon. She could have hardly imagine Digimon would have such a reaction to tamers – rush to exploit them. Thoroughly exhausted but no closer to finding a way out, she gazed to the corner where she'd propped the younger tamer.

The look of peace on her sleeping face brought a smile to Kyoko's lips despite her futile exhaustion. Reaching into the only occupant of the room save the two tamers, a box with two bottles of water and a carton of crackers, she grabbed a single wafer and crawled across the room with it in her mouth. Biting of a piece as she reached Jeanette, she took it in one hand while munching on it. Rough and tasteless, but it was food.

This wasn't the first time Jeanette's narcolepsy had manifested itself before Kyoko's eyes, and she knew it wouldn't be the last. Chewing on another bite of cracker, she brushed a hand against Jeanette's hair, not the gold that made up the majority of it, but the vivid pink lock over her currently-closed left eye.

"Mmmnnnn," Jeanette moaned softly, eyes cracking open. "K-Kyoko?" she murmured, eyes focusing on the face inches from her own.

"Here, Net-chan," Kyoko, leaning back, crouched on her knees before the other tamer.

Jeanette's blue eyes tracked around the back of the wagon, and then she gave an exhalation somewhere between a soft wail and a sigh. It hadn't been just a nightmare. "First Allomon, and now this. Do zey really expect _us_ to be able to 'elp zem?" The younger tamer sad miserably, knocking her head back once against the wall behind her.

Kyoko crab-walked backward on her hands and feet back across the room, grabbing from the crate what little food the Excalibur had left for them. "And Artemis said our picnic food was bad," Kyoko murmured, climbing to her feet and walking back over to Jeanette rather than repeating the same awkward if amusing gate.

"Hungry?" the brunette asked, offering the box of crackers and one of the water bottles to Jeanette. The other teen accepted them gratefully. Kyoko plopped down next to Jeanette, back against the wall.

"Well, Kyoko?" After taking a gulp of water, Jeanette turned her timid, bespectacled gaze to Kyoko. "What do we do?" Fear mixed with the hunger clawing at her gut, leaving her stomach feeling numb and making it seem like eating anything was a bad idea. "I barely know 'ow to use my DigiSoul to 'elp Artemis, led alone any ozer Digimon, what can we do against –" But a touch at the shoulder interrupted her.

The lateness of the hour, the exhaustion of a day ended in fear and search for escape, it was Kyoko's turn to fall asleep, the fifteen-year old's head plopping gently on Jeanette's slender shoulder. Though initially disconcerted by the touch, after all, when someone's agitated anything out of the ordinary can tend to upset them, but after a moment, even though its giver was sound asleep and ignorant of it, the warm, reassuring touch relaxed her.

The minutes ticked by and strung into hours, not that Jeanette had any particular means of telling time with her D-Vector gone, only a shaft of moonlight shining in from a small window at the top of the front wall of the wagon provided a clue to the passage of time as it slowly swept through the vehicle.

Given her recent involuntary nap, Jeanette wasn't particularly tired, just as well considering the generally unsuitable conditions for sleep of the fitful, voluntary sort she enjoyed. Organizing naps at regular intervals had helped her back home, but in the Digital World things were so shifting and inconsistent it was tough to maintain a fleeting organization even for that.

Curiosity tickled her mind, the French youth raising her hand before her, palm toward her face. Could she do it without her D-Vector? Exhaling deeply, she decided there wasn't much to lose now. Slowly closing her eyes, she focused. At first, nothing. But a gentle heat like a warm bath soon worked its way up her arm, growing in intensity but losing none of the comfort.

Muted light flickered against her closed eyelids, and as she dared to crack them open, navy blue light glared across her glasses, the luminescence dancing around her right hand just like before. A smile came to her face as she admired it for a few moments. But, with the lingering fear the guards outside would notice something amiss, Jeanette let go of the feeling and clenched her fist, the glow slowly dying out.

As Kyoko softly muttered in her sleep, Jeanette lowered her arm back to her side. Her thoughts drifted back to that lead Knightmon who seemed to be in charge of things around here, the one who viewed humans as mere property. Words couldn't express what she was feeling right now, a sullen anger toward his typical arrogance, a desire to escape, and a certain degree of remorse for what the French youth perceived as getting everyone else dragged into this mess.

* * *

><p>"Look at the mess you've gotten use into," Bolter panted, struggling futilely once again at the chains binding him. The brown rabbit's beady black eyes glared across the small clearing to Artemis, the bipedal wolf equally restrained but utterly calm. Two Gabumon and a Kentarumon stood vigil over them, keeping an eye on the restrained prisoners. After all, Digimon would be far more capable of staging a jailbreak than two humans.<p>

"If you hadn't told Jeanette to back down –" The Lopmon began irately.

"We would have wasted energy on a battle we stood little chance of winning," Artemis cooly interrupted.

"So instead you've let your tamer be captured by someone who doesn't give a damn about her well-being, or Kyoko's!" Bolter growled, pulling again at the chains even though they steadfastly held him to a tree.

"All either of us could have done was further endanger their lives," Artemis said simply, eyes still shut, body like a statue even as her large ears surely warned her of the ominous clinking from the Lopmon throttling at his restraints across from her. "There are times when one must look beyond the immediate future. Jeanette's safety is my top priority. But that doesn't mean hovering about her like an overzealous parent. If I wanted to protect her from any harm, I would find an out of the way village and keep her in a fashion many would describe as a prisoner." She paused, but before Bolter could respond she cut him off again. "But I have determined such an approach is not the way. Selective injuries and hardening are necessary."

Bolter merely flopped back against the tree behind him and snorted.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Sun and the Moon**

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Central Province, Road to Arcwater<strong>

The sun's radiance had taken the place of luna's light streaming into the impromptu brig, the two captured tamers still riding alone in the back of the large wagon. "Well," Kyoko began, tapping her foot in thought while she sat opposite Jeanette. "If they're smart, they've kept Artemis and Bolter in the city, so even if we escape we can't hook up with them." She sighed.

"But," Jeanette said "If they keep our partners along for the ride, they can kill them in front of if zey want." The blonde suppressed a shudder at the implication. They knew the Lopmon and Strabimon had been captured, but beyond that, their fate was unknown as the two tamers were lugged along with the military column like the weapons the Knightmon in charge seemed to view them as.

"We just can't overpower the guards," Kyoko muttered, running a hand through her reddish-brown hair. "And the wagon's solid, we haven't got anything to break through with."

"Zere has to be _somezing_we can do," Jeanette said. "I guess that stranger was on our side after all," she said, sighing miserably. If she'd listened to him, maybe they wouldn't be in this mess…

-  
>"Commander Rathar!" A slender Digimon of childlike proportions ran up to the towering blue-and-gold caped Knightmon, marching at the head of the column. Purple, scaly hide, a red bandana around the neck, and three-fingered hands, one of his Impmon scouts.<p>

"Yes?" The Knightmon said, his armored boots still plodding along the worn dirt road, loose forests sprawling to either side.

"The path to Arcwater is clear, sir," the scout reported. "Valdor's column is also advancing; they will arrive half a day after us. The civilians in the nearby -"

"Dismissed," Rathar grunted, cutting off the scout's report, turning his gaze to the distance. The winding path might be shrouded by forest, but he could see his duty lying ahead. So the Dark Army was rallying near Arcwater. Undoubtedly the prelude to an attack. He and his men would be ready to stop them.

**Kingdom of Chronus, Eastern Province, Road to Arcwater**

How much time had passed, neither Kyoko nor Jeanette were quite certain, as neither had a watch and their D-Vectors were probably tucked in Rathar's cloak. But now the two stood nervously next to one another, the Knightmon's shadow cast over them as his soldiers busied themselves around them.

The sprawling grasslands and lush forests near Primary Village and Fraeno had given way to open, prairie-like fields near Arcwater. The fortress itself stood in the distance, gleaming walls of chrome digizoid standing as a barrier between the warriors within and supposed threat.

"So," Rathar said, folding his arms and glaring down at his two captives imposingly. "Make your choice."

"Tch," said Kyoko, gulping but mustering her courage. "What's that say about you when you have to rely on prisoners to win your battles!"

Jeanette cringed as though expected Rathar to draw the mighty sword from his back and strike both of them down for insolence, but the armored warrior remained unphased.

"Valdor's forces are half a day's march away. They will be here by nightfall, and when they combine with us and Arcwater's garrison, any battle will be swift and decisive." One gauntlet slowly clenched into a fist. "That does not mean, however, that I will pass over a potential advantage to ease the fighting my troops face."

Kyoko bit her tongue _Nice to know he cares so much about his 'mon, but not us!_.

"I assure you, my troops will do their best to protect you," the Knightmon now rested both hands against his belt, settling for a bit of carrot along with all his sticks. "However, in battle there would be no guarantees."

"Maybe we should," Jeanette murmured, leaning toward Kyoko's ear. "Remember, Bolter, Artemis…"

Kyoko glared at Rathar before glancing back down at her blonde companion, her mismatched eyes softening. It wasn't just herself she had to worry about, she could tell that whatever she decided on Jeanette would follow her.

"Fine," she said breathlessly, feeling defeated as she did so. Jeanette cringed even though relief bubbled onto her face.

"Good," Rathar said, arms falling to his sides. "I can trust you then to follow us the rest of the way to the fortress?" he jerked his head into the distance, like they needed help seeing it across the clear landscape.

"Stick close, Net-chan," Kyoko murmured as the force continued onward. She saw a few vaguely familiar Digimon as part of the roughly two dozen Digimon accompanying Rathar, but others would remain a mystery without the Analyzer in her D-Vector.

Jeanette was also eying the 'mon around them, it seemed they'd taken advantage of the brief respite to draw weapons and steady themselves for battle. With a gulp, she hoped it didn't mean they expected attack between here and the fort. It couldn't be more than a kilometer or two by this point, the midday sun shining brightly, the few clouds in the sky belying the dark intent that lay ahead.

Trying to look without really looking like she was looking, Kyoko eyed the three wooden wagons with the group. One of the large wooden transports had housed them until recently, the two, the contents were a mystery. One could house their imprisoned partners…

The fort of Arcwater was near a stream that wound through the grasslands, mountains looming in the distance to one direction and open, rolling hills in the other. The base itself wasn't particularly large, but was a six-sided enclosure of gleaming metal, walls at a sharp angle and stretching easily four meters into the air. Gates stood at the north and south ends, the interior dotted with several structures, low, blocklike and made of wood reinforced by metal. Rathar's forces, voluntary and otherwise, moved within in the protective walls, joining the forces already stationed there as the gate clattered shut behind them.

Rathar began barking orders to his men while Kyoko led Jeanette over to the shadow of a large building near the perimeter. "How ya holdin' up?" she asked of her younger companion, not familiar with all the ins and outs of Jeanette's narcolepsy and its effects.

"F-Fine, I guess," she said quietly, adjusting her glasses as she watched the soldiers under Rathar's command integrating with those already present. They seemed busy enough to not pay particular notice to either tamer, Rathar himself standing atop one of the ramparts and exchanging words with an odd-looking lean humanoid with wicked claws and spiky, shocking orange hair.

"Hello again," said a quiet voice from nearby, causing both female tamers to nearly jump from their skins. Turning, they saw the same gray-cloaked figure that had tried to warn them prior emerge from the shadows of a nearby building.

"Y-you!" Jeanette gasped, while Kyoko stepped in front of her, a position interposed between the blonde and the figure still cloaked. The brunette didn't like the stranger's sudden reappearance one bit and it showed in a tense, aggressive facial expression, and she assumed a ready stance that looked reminiscent of a martial art.

"Are you two okay?" Though cloaks often associated with calm, lurking wisdom, this stranger's demeanor did not seem to fit.

"Y-yes," Jeanette murmured, taken aback, squinting through her glasses and trying to get a look under the hood at the face. "Who are you?"

There was a sigh. Then, sleeved arms reached up and pulled back the hood at last. The figure was indeed human, a young adult male, slender, blue eyes, pale skin, and long black hair pulled into a ponytail. "Call me Cyrus, Cyrus Black," he gave a nervous grin before tugging awkwardly at the cloak like it was a foreign object clinging to him.

"That's better," he said quietly a moment later after pulling it off completely, revealing that he was wearing pair of baggy jean shorts, a striped t-shirt, leather boots, a belt to which a navy blue and rusty red D-Vector was clipped. A pair of blue-tinted goggles were tucked into the collar of his shirt.

"Agreed," said a voice, female, rather shrill and seeming to also come from the boy himself. But a small form soon scampered into sight on his shoulder, sizing up the two females. Small and slender, pearly white and minklike with golden markings. Strangely, she had two small scars along her shoulder. "Oh, by the way, I TOLD YOU SO!" It was clear now which of the pair had the sass. The mink then contented herself with a light laugh at Jeanette.

"Hang…" Cyrus said in exasperation, sighing as he glanced at what must have been his partner. He dropped the cloak to the ground in one hand while idly scratching Hang's chin with the index finger of his other hand. "Be nice, we're here to help them."

Hang muttered something indecipherable, causing the teen's cheeks to flush briefly as he alone heard her.

Kyoko lowered her hands to her sides, casting a curious gaze at Cyrus. "You are?"

"Y-yeah," Cyrus said, turning his eyes back to the group, blush fading from his cheeks. He cast a furtive glance around, but it seemed that the military forces were all too busy preparing for the battle to come to notice a third human in their midst. "Fortunately, I've got help."

"'Elp?" Jeanette echoed, confused. She found her eyes settling on Hang.

"Commander Rathar!" a voice boomed across the compound. A being equal parts Knight and Angel strode boldly through the nearby gate, some fifteen feet tall with eight shining wings, golden armor draped in white cloth, an ornate purple helm, and an odd gauntlet on his right forearm.

"C-Captain Valdor!" Rathar snapped around where he stood, saluting the superior officer, the Strikedramon behind him mimicking the gesture. "With your forces added to those present, we will be fully ready within hours." He said proudly as the Holy Angemon continued advancing toward him on foot. Kyoko noticed he was alone, what of the forces that supposedly accompanied him? The quartet crept a little closer, sliding up to another building near the conversation.

"Yes, yes," the Captain said, with the air of someone who while impatient hadn't totally forgotten his matters. "What of the two humans you've detained?"

Rathar's plated face nonetheless betrayed surprise "They are awaiting orders. We have their partners locked in one of the wagons under guard."

"Release them at once," commanded the holy warrior. His words were met with shock.

"E-excuse me?"

"You heard me," Valdor said, now sounding quite grim. "And if you spout a word about Humans not being in the Constitution, I will have _you_jailed." He stood a little straighter, squaring his shoulders. "Just because we're at war doesn't mean we can abandon the principles upon which the Kingdom was built!" he said passionately, then releasing his tension with a breath. "What is the point in fighting evil if you only become it?" He said quietly.

"V-Valdor!" Cyrus called out, striding into the open, eyes on the angel with whom he was clearly familiar. "You're early, aren't you?"

"Cyrus?" the Angel turned from his troublesome subordinate, settling his helmeted gaze down toward the human. "Did you find them?"

The black-haired boy nodded, then waved Kyoko and Jeanette forward. The two teens tentatively came forward, surprised but reassured by the smile that appeared on the smooth features of the Holy Angemon's visible chin.

"Are you well?" His first question caught them off guard. Jeanette nodded, but Kyoko interjected.

"What about our partners?"

"Don't worry about them," said Valdor gently, making a gesture over his shoulder to Rathar. The Knightmon in turn gave orders to one of his subordinates, who quickly disappeared across the fort. Rathar himself also did not linger, no doubt irked at being dressed down. He failed to note Hang blowing a silent raspberry at his back from her perch on Cyrus's shoulder.

"I'm sorry you got dragged into this…" Valdor said heavily. "This war, it's almost become a lifestyle the decades it's lasted. Some are desperate for any edge they can get." From the way he spoke, it seemed he was a veteran of this war in every sense of the word.

"What's really going on h-here?" Jeanette asked of the towering warrior. "What's this attack?"

Cyrus answered her. "This fort, Arcwater, is one of the main strongholds on the eastern edge of the Kingdom's territory. They've been able to keep the dark army out so far, but there was an incursion near here a few days ago. One of our patrols was slain, and scouts are picking up heightened activity…"

Valdor nodded. "All the preludes to an attack. I came in advance of my troops when I heard about the… situation with Rathar."

"Yeah," Hang said, catching a strange glance from Kyoko. "Cyrus is working for Valdor, not all Digimon are like Rathar, the –" she called him something caused her tamer clap his hand over her mouth as delicately as possible and hiss "_Hang!_"

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

**Darkness Approaches**

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Eastern, Fort of Arcwater<strong>

"I," Jeanette said slowly "Want to 'elp!", hands clenching into brazen fists, eyes finding Valdor's helmet plate. Her words as well as her enthusiasm were a shock to both Kyoko and Artemis, although the latter was naturally very adept at concealing it. Rathor's totalitarian orders rescinded, the quartet stood together again, though with the newly-revealed Cyrus and Hang also standing in the courtyard.

"What's this?" asked Valdor, turning fully to face her, away the ongoing preparations. But before Jeanette could continue, she found a hand over her lips, and Kyoko interrupting her.

"Excuse us a moment, please?" she asked, while Artemis took the French youth by the shoulders and pulled her away. She bowed, giving a nervous giggle to the Captain before bounding off after them, Bolter's long ears flapping like some sort of travesty of a scarf from her shoulders.

"Are-You-NUTS!" Kyoko exploded, though not in anger as she stood before Jeanette, the four off to the side so that the soldier Digimon bustling here and there could carry out their work unobstructed.

"Euh…" Jeanette hesitated, but Kyoko gave her barely a second to speak.

"Don't you remember that they captured us, and were going to force us into this fight! It's not going to be much of a dark army if a couple of girls can take it on!" Kyoko pleaded reason, fingers clenching one another nervously "Please, Jeanette."

"She is correct," Artemis said, the Strabimon's arms folded as was so often the case. "Battling here is far too risky. We would do better leave this place and let the soldiers to their jobs."

But the next speaker surprised them all. "I'm with Jeanette," Bolter said boldly from his perch. Before any could question his sanity too, the rabbit-like Digimon spoke again from his clinging perch on Kyoko's back. "They're afraid," he said quietly, almost sadly, a contrast to anything even Kyoko had seen out of him prior, as he spoke of the soldiers. "Afraid of losing, like they slowly have along the northern and southern fronts. They know what failure means. We can't turn our backs on them."

"My thoughts exactly," Cyrus said quietly, making his presence known as the boy strode up to the group, still idly stroking Hang's chin with a finger. The pale, slender Kudamon regarded the group rather haughtily.

"Nose out," Kyoko said, half-miffed, half-joking. "Your votes don't count."

"I haven't even said anything to you yet!" Hang snapped indignantly, lightning bolts flashing between the eyes of the two.

Jeanette cleared her throat, by no means defusing the situation but at least drawing Kyoko and Hang off from one another for the moment. "I know, Kyoko," she said quietly, pushing her index finger against the bridge of her glasses to resettle them. "It's dangerous… but it's a fight worth fighting!" The fires of courage flickered in her eyes, and Kyoko knew she'd lost this argument.

"Net-chan," she said quietly. "You know I'm just worried about you, right?" Words of the reaction Jeanette would have to battle, be it loss of muscle control or completely blacking out at a pivotal moment rose toward her lips, but she cut them off and redirected the conversation. "And I think Fluffy over there is too," she said with a grin, as her mismatched eyes danced toward Artemis.

The Strabimon's visible fur bristled slightly, and something unreadable flashed in her jade eyes. Were any of the five telepathic, they would have known that it wasn't beyond the calm warrior's consideration to haul Jeanette away from this mess by any means necessary. But that wasn't her only consideration, for her mind never thought just one step ahead, no, it always went beyond that. Just as she'd told Bolter, protecting Jeanette in the here and now wasn't the only priority, making sure she had everything she needed, her partner, friends, shelter, supplies, and so forth tomorrow and for many days after that was too.

"Very well," The Strabimon straightened up, muscles coiling as she clearly prepared for action. "I will join Rathar's scouts and ascertain our strategic situation." Apparently feeling Jeanette was safe in the current company of friends and allies, the nimble lupine warrior departed.

Cyrus, meanwhile, had a grin on his face. "Thanks, y-you two," He blushed a bit as the female duo smiled back at him. "C'mon," he jerked his head toward the far end of the camp. "Let's get your stuff back."

D-Vectors and backpacks in hand, Kyoko and Jeanette stood atop the central tower of Arcwater, with them Bolter, Cyrus, Hang, and Captain Valdor. Artemis was still out scouting as the sun sank lower on the horizon, while in the remaining illumination of the late-day sun Valdor's forces, easily a few dozen strong, arrived at the fort. Just like Rathar's forces before them, they wasted no time integrating themselves into the fort's defensive set-up.

"I must thank you for volunteering," The Holy Angemon was saying, his eight shining wings drawn close to his back, hands loosely draped from the golden sash at his waist. "If all tamers were willing to take the risk and aid us…" he trailed off, but Jeanette raised a question in the gap of conversation.

"Captain V-Valdor?" she asked "Are there any tamers that serve the dark army?"

The holy warrior didn't immediately answer, nor give any outward sign as to what might have been going through his head. "They…" he said deliberately "Are rare, but not unheard of."

Jeanette felt herself give a mild shudder. The idea of running into some tamer, experience far above her own, making a mockery of the girl's novice skill and endangering Artemis, it wasn't pleasant at all. She felt that same cursed feeling in her legs, knees suddenly going weak and threatening to dump her on the ground.

But even as the startled curse came from her lips, a slender yet strong arm caught her. Looking over, she found the arm belonged to Cyrus. With his help, she gently lowered into a kneeling position on the ground. "Are you okay?" he asked. With a flush of embarrassment, the blond-haired girl realized he probably didn't know about her narcolepsy.

Startled by the reddening of Jeanette's cheeks, the young man quickly pulled his arm away.

However, at that moment, Valdor's voice drew the attention of all present. "The scouts, and your partner, Lady Jeanette, should be returning at any moment. I must tell you, however, that this is very dangerous. I want you stay out of the fighting as much as possible, support my men but don't engage the dark army on your own. That goes double for Kyoko and Jeanette." He said, looking down.

_This doesn't feel right_ Kyoko couldn't help but think. _We just arrived in this world a few days ago, why are we getting into a battle of life and death? That e-mail sure didn't look like military papers._But even if she could change Jeanette's mind, it was probably too late now. She'd just have to make sure to find some place nice and quiet, out of the way, for them to go when this was over. If there was such a thing in this Digital World… maybe Bolter would know something, or Cyrus and Hang would be interested in travelling with them.

Night had fallen, and with it, stifling blankets called darkness, fear. Numerous torches lit the fort's walls, the fortifications ringed by numerous digital defenders. While Valdor stood atop the central tower, Rathor had stationed himself with the soldiers on the eastern rampart, straight in the path of any direct enemy assault.

Kyoko, Jeanette, Bolter, and Artemis stood atop one of the nearby parapets, the two humans close to one another as agitation and doubt flickered in both their souls. Both had fallen to more or less the same mind: it was dangerous, terribly so, but it was worth it to try and protect the tens of thousands calling the kingdom home.

Cyrus meanwhile rode the back of a pale and lean feline Digimon, one they could hardly believe was in fact Hang's next evolution, her Adult form. The more experienced duo had promised to relay the tale after the battle. Her face masked, a bladed tail with eyes set into it, and thick fur, she looked nothing like the small and frail creature that had ridden the boy's shoulders the day before.

"_This has gone on too long"_ Rathar had told them earlier, apparently mellowed by his superior's arrival "_Losing lives, losing territories. For the sake of our morale, this has got to be a win, no matter the cost._"  
>Valdor's words also hung with them "<em>Regardless, you are young and inexperienced. The front lines and outer walls are much too dangerous for you. Please stick as close to the bulk of our forces, near the base of the central tower, as possible. Assist in damage control and fight where necessary, but don't draw attention to yourselves.<em>"

"They're coming," Artemis whispered, standing to Jeanette's side like a furry shadow. Her jade eyes opened, reflecting the light of a nearby torch.

"Huh?" asked Bolter, his enormous ears twitching batlike as he struggled to listen for the sound of anything approaching in the gloom beyond the fortress's outer wall. "I don't hear anything."

"You ready, Hang?" Cyrus asked, one hand clenching his D-Vector, the other clenched against the back of the Leppamon's fur, a pale blue light flickering around his hands.

"Always," she said confidently, waving her bladed tail at a Gabumon who was getting to close for the agitated Digimon's comfort. This wasn't her first time in battle by any means, but it was her first in one of this scale. She was edgy and someone getting in her personal space wasn't smart. "And we'll show the kiddies how it's done."

"'Ow did 'ang do that?" Jeanette murmured, her bespectacled eyes on the mammal the young man was atop. "Iz it evolution too?"

"Yep," said Bolter, still on Kyoko's shoulders for the moment. "Hey, you," he said suddenly, turning to Artemis "I can't very well fight like this, how's about I hitch a ride with you?"

Jeanette cast a cautious glance over to Artemis, who gave a clear growl of irritation.

"Heads up!" Kyoko yelled, pointing dramatically toward the horizon. Even in the darkness, it could be seen that something was coming. Hoping to gain an edge, she pointed her orange and lavender D-Vector into the distance. What she saw on the screen… wasn't pleasant. Grotesque demon-children called Dracmon. Little bat things called Pico Devimon. Dark, spindly dragons called Devidramon. And others too. _Too bad this thing doesn't give numbers…_Kyoko thought, squinting her heterochromatic eyes to see more clearly without much luck.

"Prepare for battle!" Valdor's voice, bold and strong, rang over the fortress's walls.

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

**The Battle of Arcwater**

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Eastern Province, Fort of Arcwater<strong>

The battle had started. In an offhand kind of way, it reminded Jeanette of a fireworks display. It had all the flashing lights of different colors, flashes, noise and explosions, too. But in a fireworks display, Digimon weren't dying. The dark forces relentlessly hammered the Excalibur's defenses, breaking around the fort's walls like water on rocks. Yet where they met resistance, they attempted to slide around, probing for that weakness to worm into and exploit, again like water.

Yet unlike that rock, this malevolent force would not be content to wait centuries to wear itself an opening. The first waves of Dracmon to try and scramble the walls were beat back by the stalwart forces of the Chronian military, and the tamers watched anxiously. Jeanette's hands clenched around her D-vector, eying the short list of Drivers as she tried to divine how best to put them to use as the battle raged on before them.

"Let's get out there," Hang said, voice ringing with impatience. She had paced back and forth as the battle began, paying only vague attention to where her tail swung and forcing Kyoko to duck several times. She craned her neck over her shoulder and looked at Cyrus. "I can handle it on the front lines."

"That's not the plan," Cyrus murmured into the Leppamon's ear. "We need to keep the girls safe for Valdor. Save your energy in case any of them try to make a run at us."

Bolter scrabbled up onto Artemis's shoulder. "I'd say you look stiffer," the Lopmon said teasingly. "But I don't know that that would be possible." He wrapped his ears around her neck like an awkward scarf to brace himself.

"Watch yourselves!" Valdor called out, a sweeping wind buffeting the tamers as the Captain took to the skies. His wings beat a strong rhythm, the sword on his wrist igniting as he soared in to join several other angelic warriors in battling the Devidramon descending toward the fort. More flashes of light erupted across the night sky as the air battle was joined.

"It's okay," Kyoko said, laying a hand across one of Jeanette's as the two stood side by side on the tower. The others were keeping alert for anyone making a run on the central tower, leaving the two girls to watch the battle. "Breathe, Net-chan." She gave a nervous smile to her blond-haired friend.

"I appreciate it," Jeanette murmured, trying to follow the advice. "But… a battle like zis, it is nuzzing to take easy, is it?"

"I'm just saying," Kyoko gripped Jeanette's hand with her own. "Getting too worked up isn't good for you… Just stay focused and stay alive, ne?" As she spoke, something odd seemed to glint in Kyoko's mismatched eyes.

"Oui," Jeanette acknowledged with a nod. "Look out!" she yelled suddenly, pointing to a Devidramon that had squeaked through the aerial defensive line even as several of its kin were felled. The massive dark dragon folded its wings and dropped like a bomb straight at the central tower.

"Blazing Ice!"  
>"Razor Wind!"<p>

The twin air attacks were joined by a few streams of azure fire coming from the tops of some of the inner buildings. The Devidramon shuddered and shrieked as the attacks tore at its leathery hide, but its four crimson eyes seemed fixed the observation level of the tower. It hurtled onward, and it seemed it would strike until a shining golden rod plunged through its back. The angelic Pidmon was surrounded in a halo of dark data particles before it returned to the battle above, no doubt with the hope to prevent any other Digimon from making a similar attempt.

Kyoko waved thanks to the angel, then looked over to Jeanette. "You okay?"

The younger tamer nodded. Inside, she was less confident. It had been her idea to stick around and help even though they'd initially been coerced into coming, but now she wasn't so sure. All these Digimon, even with the Excalibur protecting them on all sides, seemed just beyond their league. Maybe Cyrus was okay, but Jeanette and Kyoko had only been here for a few days. _What was I thinking?_

"I think," she heard Cyrus murmur. "I think we might be okay." Jeanette and Kyoko looked up to see what he did. While they saw a few Excalibur fall in battle, the overwhelming majority of the data clouds starting to shroud the already dark night before they dispersed, were coming from the dark enemies.

"Hey, wait," said Kyoko, squinting into the distance and pointing. "What's that?"

Jeanette and Cyrus followed her gaze, and their partners save Artemis followed suit. But before any could figure out just what they'd seen standing amid the ranks of Digimon advancing along the plains, a flash of light erupted from it and whatever it was had become something else altogether.

It stood above any of the dark army warriors, equaled in size perhaps by only the Devidramon above. Glossy black armor encased a stout, quadruped form, decorated in golden highlights to create a distinctly leonine Digimon. Rubies were set into its forehead and in both its rear hips, while small guns protruded from its shoulders.

"Kaiser Leomon," Jeanette murmured, reading from her d-ban's display. Somehow, the image on the screen seemed a whole lot less frightening than the one that was now lumbering slowly toward the eastern wall of the fort.

Down on the outer rampart, the large and silver-armored form of Commander Rathar was visible, gesturing at the advancing Kaiser Leomon. The other dark army forces gave it a wide berth, and Jeanette couldn't help a slightly ominous feeling as she watched the Digimon approach.

Several Digimon opened fire, yet the fireballs they launched skated right off the obsidian armor. The attacks only seemed to incense it, and with a loud roar increased from a lumbering trot to an all-out charge.

"Ohh, crap," muttered Bolter.

"**BLACK!**"

"**THUNDER!**"

There was a flash of dark energy from the beast's maw as it opened wide, and a shockwave rippled outward from the force of the fire alone. The Kaiser Leomon was rocked back on its heels, but that was nothing compared to the force that was unleashed as the destructive bolt hit its target.

A blinding flash erupted, and the entire fort shook as the thunderous explosion ripped outward. The intense light and sound dazed the defenders, buying an opening as the attackers pressed on with gruesome diligence despite the distraction. Even just as the embers of flame died down, they were already pressing into the clear ten-foot gap in the wall the attack had blasted.

An Angemon swooped down on the mobile battering ram from above, driving its holy rod straight between the Kaiser Leomon's eyes. For a moment the white-clad Adult smiled in victory, but then his expression changed to one of horror as the Kaiser Leomon's head jerked up and snatched his staff. It bit the rod clean in two, and then the armored beast leapt up and tackled the low-flying angel to the ground.

The angel cried out, but even as several Fladramon knights rushed to assist him, launching fiery rockets all the way, he was silenced as the black lion plunged its head down and sunk its massive fangs into his neck.

The Angemon exploded in a shower of data particles, a shower that was quickly soaked up by the Kaiser Leomon. It was as it if it has absorbed its foe's data, denying the natural cycle of the Digital World. The lion then threw back its head, giving a self-satisfied roar as it then prepared to face down the Fladramon still advancing on it.

"He didn't!" gasped Cyrus, nearly falling off Hang's back from shock.

"Easy, partner!" the Leppamon said, stepping sideways to help keep her partner in place. She too seemed upset, an emotion mimicked by Bolter and, to what little extent it was visible, Artemis.

"Uh, excuse me," Kyoko said as though realizing she was about to ask a very dumb question. "What's the big deal with that?"

Cyrus looked to her, then paused and took a deep breath, obviously rattled. "Absorbing an opponent's data, instead of allowing it to return to Primary Village to reformat for its next life… it's like the Digital equivalent of cannibalism." The boy shuddered with disgust.

"Zat's 'orrible!" Jeanette's hands covered her mouth in shock and revulsion.

"Goes to show you the types we're up against," Bolter said, scowling angrily as though he very much wanted to go destroy the Kaiser Leomon, level difference or not, for what it had just done.

As the Excalibur recovered, the fighting only intensified. The dark army pressed on the breach opened in the wall, concentrating their greatest force there. The defenders scrambled to reinforce it, while the three Fladramon dueled desperately against the Kaiser Leomon to prevent it from attacking the walls again.

The great lion seized one of the armored bipedal dragons in its jaws and sent it careening into the second. The third it attempted to swat with a paw, but the warrior nimbly dodged and leapt onto the Kaiser Leomon's shoulder. He fired a rapid volley of fireballs into the beast's head, causing it to bellow in agony before it tried to shake him off. The Fladramon leapt instead onto his foe's armored back, driving three claws of one gauntlet against the Kaiser Leomon's back. The lion shook this way and that, head jerking this way and that, jaws snapping as it tried to dislodge the Fladramon.

Valdor swooped down to help, but the heavenly warrior was intercepted by a trio of Devidramon before he could lend aid. His sword and shield flashed in rapid succession against their claws, holding off his three attackers, but the dark army's goal was served.

The Kaiser Leomon finally snagged the persistent Fladramon by the foot with its jaws, and tossed it into his two recovering companions. The guns its shoulders flared to life, peppering the three armor-level warriors with bolts of purple energy until they were no more.

Jeanette's hands tightened more and more on the railing as the white-knuckle battle progressed, and she couldn't help the feeling that it wasn't going well at all. The dark army pressed and pressed, and for every one that fell, another seemed eager to step up and continue the fight in his place. She edged closer and closer to Kyoko as Devidramon started wheeling over the base, like vultures waiting to strike as they evaded sporadic attacks aimed to scatter them.

"Now?" Hang asked impatiently, bladed tail still swishing back and forth.

Cyrus bit his lip, clearly conflicted. But then his face set, and he tugged his goggles out and slipped them over his face. D-Vector in one hand, he hunched down and wrapped the other arm around Hang's neck. "Let's go. Stay mobile and keep an eye on any Digimon nearing the tower!" The youth's voice trailed off, for no sooner than the first two words had left his mouth than did the Leppamon leap down from the tower.

With powerful legs she bounded across the low rooftops of the building, dancing amid the reserves and those who focused on trying to scatter the Devidramon and heading for the breach in the wall.

* * *

><p>"This is more like it!" Hang cried, using her tail to swat aside a Pico Devimon that had been trying to sneak up on them. She landed quite deliberately atop another one of the scruffy winged bats, crushing it with the blunter claws of her forelegs.<p>

With a final leap she crested the tattered edge of the eastern wall. Cyrus had hung on for dear life as his partner plunged headlong into battle, adding one more to the good fight. There was barely time to survey the battle firsthand, as the chaos swirled all around them. To the boy, it was almost surreal. There were no bodies, no blood either, yet that somehow made it all the more disturbing to him.

"There it is!" Hang found the Kaiser Leomon again. Rathar had engaged it alone, shield and sword in hand. The Knightmon's tree-sized sword missed and cleaved through an errant Sangloupmon by fortuitous mistake, and his shield rose as the lion's guns blazed away.

"For the Kingdom!" Rathar roared, his massive armored form pressing forward. He kept his shield between himself and his foe, his sword ready to strike the moment he got in range. Yet the instant he swung, the Kaiser Leomon nimbly leapt back.

With the Knightmon's attention so focused on his single adversary, a Sangloupmon crept up behind him and prepared a sneak attack.

"No you don't, doggy!" yelled Hang, leaping into battle and tackling aside the wolfish enemy. Saliva flew from its jaws as they snarled and snapped at the Leppamon, but she bashed his head with the blunt side of her blade.

It squealed with discomfort, but then the fur around its neck suddenly became rigid. "Sticker Blade!" the Sangloupmon hissed, a barrage of slender, dart-like hairs lancing at the Leppamon.

Hang cursed and jumped away, keeping her bulk between Cyrus and the oncoming darts. Nonetheless, the stickers digging into her hurt. "Got anything to help?" Hang asked, hunkering in a ready position and staring down their adversary.

"Hold on," said Cyrus, trying to follow his own advice more literally while scanning his short list of drivers. "Got it," he said, taking a deep breath. He pushed the button with his thumb, and saw that reassuring flare of bright blue light coming from his palm. A streamer of that little energy cloud broke away, twining itself around Hang's form.

In the light's wake was plate of glittering gold, with armor appearing around Hang's chest, head, and lower legs. It shone brightly even in the dead of night, a holy defense against the pressing evil darkness. "Now we're talking! Hold tight!" Cyrus had a fraction of a second to oblige before Hang launched herself at the Sangloupmon. The beast's massive foreclaws rose to meet her, but even as they painfully dug into her fur, she tackled the purple wolf to the ground.

As they slid together through the dirt, the wolf's jaws snapped again and again. As Hang heard a startled yelp from her tamer, she decided enough was enough. Wielding it like a massive sword, the Leppamon struck Sangloupmon again and again with her tail until its body broke and she was left crouching in the grassy dirt.

"You okay?" she asked, straightening up and looking over her shoulder at Cyrus.

"It's just a scratch," the young man said, rubbing part of his leg against Hang's side. A small gash was visible in the fabric of his pants, and a matching one visible in his calf.

"Good," said Hang, setting her sights back on Rathar and his battle against the Kaiser Leomon. "Hey –" There was that word again.

"_Hang!_" Cyrus hissed in reprimand.

"We'll watch your back!" Hang finished, striding near the Knightmon. Either Rathar had no objections, or was too preoccupied to voice them.

"Have at you, Anathema!" The Knightmon roared, suddenly charging with his massive sword leveled like a lance. The Kaiser Leomon tried to leap aside again, but it wasn't fast enough and the blade's massive tip cut deep into its shoulder. A massive paw was swung in retaliation, but it was blocked upon Rathar's shield.

"Maybe we can win this after all," murmured Cyrus, swinging his gaze this way and that while Hang remained crouched and doing likewise, seeking to make sure Rathar remained undisturbed. "If we can just –"

"Heads down!" yelled Hang, and Cyrus avoided catching a needle in the neck by millimeters. He could have sworn he saw a couple strands of black hair shorn away by the projectile before it vanished into the blackness.

Hang wheeled around, but as she faced the Pico Devimon, an odd glow resonated from its eyes. The Leppamon stumbled sideways, and Cyrus himself was also starting to feel curiously dazed. But he blinked, and the feeling ebbed. "Don't look at it, Hang!" he warned, shielding his eyes.

"That's easy for you to say," Hang grunted, doing so but then quickly opening them again. "I have to stay alert. Got any ideas with your Digisoul?"

"Not many," said Cyrus, shielding his eyes and peering at the screen of his D-Vector. "I used most of my power giving you this armor."

There was a flash of multicolored light, and as Cyrus dared to look up again, he saw the Pico Devimon assailing them washed away in a flash of multicolored sparks.

The Psychemon that saved them was entirely too busy to chat, however, immediately re-engaged elsewhere in the battle as the fight for Arcwater raged on.

* * *

><p>"I hope Cy-kun will be okay," Kyoko said, still watching the battle at Jeanette's side on the tower above.<p>

"'Ang seems strong," said Jeanette. "Zey will be okay."

"That's the spirit," Kyoko said, managing to give her companion a nervous smile. "Hey, I don't suppose you've got any drivers that work on a large scale, do you?"

Jeanette shook her head, then distractedly blushed her pink bangs out of her eyes. She cast a look at Artemis, the Strabimon looked as unfazed as ever, considering that as wound up as Bolter was becoming, he ought to have been choking her by now.

The Japanese youth bounced from foot to foot. "I don't like this," she said. "I'd rather be down there rather than just watching, this is the worst…"

"Incoming!" barked Artemis, breaking from her calm ready stance at long last as another Devidramon broke away from the battle and swooped toward them. Bolter immediately fired at it with a short salvo of air bullets, but the attacker seemed undaunted. A particularly hard beat of its wings blasted the four, sending the two tamers tumbling across the deck. Artemis stood strong against the gale, and Bolter clung to her neck for dear life.

The Devidramon dropped lower and lower, and it seemed most of the fort's defenders were too preoccupied to help them out this time. "Care to give us a hand, you two?" Bolter said, looking over his shoulder as Jeanette and Kyoko picked themselves back up.

The Devidramon roared, revealing rows of needle-like teeth as it hovered just out of reach off the tower. Its four crimson glinted evily as it seemed to wait for something.

"K-kyoko," gasped Jeanette, feeling her muscles grow unresponsive as she straightened up. "'elp me –" As far as she realized, it was just her Narcolepsy picking a bad time to act up.

"It's not," Kyoko said stiffly, also apparently frozen. "Just you, Net-chan." Her body shuddered as though she was giving great effort, but she was also immobilized by the Devidramon's red eye attack. "Any… time, guys!" she managed.

"Hey!" yelled Bolter. "Knock that off! Petit Twister!" The Lopmon blurred brown as he spun up into the air, shooting at the Devidramon like a miniaturized tornado. The dragon hissed as he collided with its jaw, yet its spell over the tamers remained.

As his attack slowed, Bolter latched onto the sides of Devidramon's face with his ears, grinning widely. He planted a kiss on the dragon's scaly snout, then let go as he saw one of its spindly arms swing around. He extended his ears to slow his descent and glide, but was still treated to the sight of the Devidramon hitting itself in the face.

Artemis cast a wary glance over her shoulder, eying the two paralyzed tamers and then sweeping over the rest of the area. She seemed satisfied, and then leapt headlong at the Devidramon, still howling from its self-inflicted injury.

"Light Leg!" She yelled, silvery light flickering around her boot as it slammed hard into the side of Devidramon's head. The Strabimon then pushed off, launching herself up into the air and slicing into one of the demon's leathery wings on the way down.

She landed atop a building near the main tower, in time to see Bolter glide down next to her upon his oversized ears. The Devidramon shuddered in the air, apparently no longer capable of proper flight with part of one of its wings lacerated, surged forward and grabbed onto the tower with its long forearms. It caught itself before it fell from the sky, tucking its wings and heaving itself up onto the tower.

"Uh-oh," muttered the Lopmon.

"Bolter-no-baka!" came the shriek of a familiar voice.

"C'mon!" said Bolter to Artemis. "Toss me!" he said, offering one of his ears to the Strabimon. The silver-furred warrior stopped briefly to consider it, then obliged. "Hey, gentle!" he said as her claws dug into his ear.

"You asked for it," she said plainly, winding up, spinning around, and letting fly with the Lopmon turned projectile.

"Petit Twister!" Bolter's form again become a brownish blur as it spun around and around, shooting up the height of the tower.

Artemis wasn't far behind, leaping, clawing, and climbing her way up the tower at an all out run. Her boots found purchase on support beams and outcroppings, while her claws pulled her along where there was no other purchase to be found. In seconds the Strabimon had scaled the tower.

"Crimson Nail!" roared the Devidramon, slashing its claws at Bolter as though it sought to swat an irksome fly. The Lopmon danced aside, then breathed deep before pelting the demon with a sharp salvo of air bullets.

The demon shuddered with each impact, but still pressed on. It seemed to forget the two still in the grip of its spell, instead rounding on the active and incessant Lopmon.

"Dash Twister!" yelled Bolter, spinning and shooting between Devidramon's legs even as it tail bashed down on the spot of floor he'd just vacated. He slowed to a stop, firing another air bullet into Devidramon's back. It exploded painfully, and the Devidramon rounded on him again.

Artemis's green eyes passed from Jeanette's frozen form, to the back of Devidramon as it tried repeatedly to gouge the nimble Bolter. The Strabimon's face set into a look even more masklike than usual, and she sprinted in.

She ducked an incidental swing of the Devidramon's tail, and then leapt up onto its back. Before the demon could work out what had happened or turn its attention away from Bolter, Artemis dashed the rest of the way up its back. "Light!" she yelled, leaping straight up as she reached its shoulders.

"NAIL!" Her claws flared silver as they drove deep into Devidramon's neck. Its scaly flesh and hard interior suddenly wavered and softened, and Artemis dropped to the ground amid its black data particles.

Simultaneously gasps of relief came from Jeanette and Kyoko, and it seemed the demon's spell had passed with it. "You okay, Net-chan?" Kyoko asked, helping her junior stand upright as the two breathed heavily despite having been capable of little exertion.

"Y-yes," said Jeanette, grateful for the support. "T-_th_ank you, Artemis."

The Strabimon gave only a stoic nod as Bolter scrambled back up her neck. The Lopmon was breathing heavily from the exertions of keeping his little body moving against such a large opponent. "I think I like this better," he said breathless, but never witless.

"Lady Kyoko! Lady Jeanette!" Captain Valdor descended from above, hovering over the lookout tower. "I must insist your group retreat immediately. Head west."

"But," Jeanette protested. "Why now? We're 'olding on…"

"I can't risk it," Valdor spun in place, waved his sword, and caused the Devidramon trying to attack him from behind to simply vanish into a gate that swiftly closed. He turned back. "It's clear they know you're here, and seek to capture you along with this fort. I cannot let that happen."

"We'd never turn!" Kyoko insisted stubbornly, drawing her D-vector to show her willingness to fight.

Valdor shook his helmeted head. "They have… _ways_," he said. "You **must**go. My men cannot fight when they must always keep one eye on you. There will be a day for you to join our struggle, but that day is not today."

There was a flash of motion to their side, causing Kyoko to jump and Artemis to wheel around, claws raised. But it was just Hang, Cyrus clinging to her back as ever. "He told us." Cyrus explained. "He's sending his two fastest ShimaUnimon for you," he looked at Jeanette and Kyoko.

"Even you?" Kyoko asked, surprised. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Valdor depart and rejoin the ongoing, frantic battle. "I thought you worked for him?"

Cyrus shrugged a bit, looking uncomfortable. "The ShimaUnimon are more scouts than fighters, he wants me to cover you." He reflexively ducked as an explosion rang out particularly close to the tower. "C'mon!" he yelled.

* * *

><p>Eight hooves and four paws frantically pounded the ground along the road to the west. Cyrus rode upon Hang's back, his partner still holding her Leppamon form. Jeanette with Artemis, and Kyoko with Bolter, rode on the backs of two of Valdor's scouts.<p>

The ShimaUnimon were beautiful, looking very much like large and powerful Zebras of Earth, only their heads were encased in black helmets. Red visors glinted in the darkness, and a single horn protruded from it.

"Just hang tight, deary," Jeanette's 'steed' said with a slight, soft southern drawl. She pounded along the road and leapt around obstacles, all with the goal of putting as much distance between them and the fort as possible.

At this distance, the shouts and sounds of battle died down, but the flashes of light and fire still showed as brightly as ever. "Indeed," said the ShimaUnimon Kyoko rode, with the impeccable air of a British gentleman. "We'll have you out of here in no time!"

"Oh, just shut up and keep up!" Hang said impatiently, the Leppamon growing cross as her bounding stride started pulling her ahead of the other two runners.

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

**Desperate Flight**

* * *

><p><strong>Kingdom of Chronus, Eastern Province, West of Arcwater<strong>

"Why aren't we sticking to the road?" Kyoko complained, rubbing where a branch had cut her cheek. The Shima Unimon were leading the way, Hang now following behind them as she wasn't familiar with the territory. The trees raced by them in the darkness, the three running Digimon pounding through the forest as they fled the ongoing battle at Arcwater.

It seemed the dark army knew of the tamers defending the fort, and sought to capture them during the midst of the battle. Add to that the juggernaut leading the charge, a massive armored leonine that seemed to have emerged from nowhere to join the battle for the dark side, and it was no surprise that Valdor had ordered them out.

"Apologies for the rough ride," said the British-accented ShimaUnimon that Kyoko rode, while Bolter flopped from her neck like a living scarf. "But we need to stay out of sight, otherwise we'll be even worse off than before."

"He's right," said Cyrus, hunkering down and holding on tight to protect himself against the onrushing foliage as Hang pushed onward as Leppamon. "I think there's a small village about twenty miles northwest of here, if we can make it there while the Excalibur finish driving off the assault." The other tamers were aware of his optimistic phrasing, but none of them commented on it.

"Hey now, those claws hurt!" protested the ShimaUnimon on which Artemis and Jeanette sat, for while Jeanette sat behind the Strabimon with her arms wrapped around her partner's waist, Artemis's claws were digging into the beast's striped neck.

"My apologies," said Artemis, loosening her grip while her green eyes glinted in the darkness. The way ahead was clear, yet the Strabimon's fur bristled as though she sensed a foe approaching.

"What is wrong?" asked Jeanette, leaning closer and peering around through her glasses. She didn't see anything, but of course, she was no predatory Digimon. All she could hear was the sounds of the forest rushing past, with snapping branches, rustled leaves, and howling air.

"I sense it too!" said Hang, sweeping her blade back and forth as best she could to clear the foliage from around her as she ran with the others. "Dead ahead!"

A shriek like metal grating against metal sounded through the trees, and a massive shadow appeared before the group. It was almost hard to see, so massive and blending into the darkness of the night. Not so hard to miss however, was the shriek and ensuing collapse of several trees.

"Guilty Claw!"

"Scatter!" yelled the female Shima Unimon as three trees were sliced open across their bases. The two Shima Unimon broke to their respective sides, hooves pounding the ground as they moved. The trees creaked and broke against one another, crashing to the ground.

Hang leapt over the fallen trunks, and Cyrus's jaw went slack as his eyes fell upon their assailant. A massive form stood as tall as many of the trees, a snakelike body just as thick was covered in sickly purple scales. The upper body looked reptilian, though it had the muscular arms and chest of a human. The forearms of the creature were encased in metal, the tips splitting into separated claws. Large metallic wings sprouted from the creature's back, and its lizardlike head was also covered in a metallic plate decorated with teeth and backswept horns. Blue scales ran down along its abdomen, trailing down onto the tail upon which it perched snakelike.

"Gigadramon!" yelled Kyoko. The trees settled to the ground, and for a moment it seemed there might be a moment of peace. But it wasn't meant to be. There was just enough time to see her companions emerge from the dust and try to continue onward when the Gigadramon opened fire.

A pair of rockets screamed from launchers concealed in its wrists, the fiery explosions ripping outward. Leaves were set ablaze, trees and branches snapped and pummeled by the detonation shockwaves.

"Bloody hell! What are you playing at, tosser?" protested 'Kyoko's' ShimaUnimon, his legs flailing under him as he sought to regain his balance.

"Keep going!" yelled Cyrus. He was hanging onto Hang for dear life at this point, when suddenly the Leppamon ran forward. In a gut-wrenching start they were vertical, Hang raced up the tree, then pushed off and launched herself off the tree at the Gigadramon. "Haaaaaang!" He ducked his head and braced himself against his partner.

There was the sound of a blade cleaving through scale and flesh, and upon hearing Gigadramon's roar of agony, Cyrus reopened his eyes as the world righted and Hang landed lightly. A chunk had been carved out of the beast's scaly neck by Hang's tail blade, but they all knew the beast was far from down yet.

"Does anyone 'ave a driver?" Jeanette called out, gripping Artemis with strength she didn't have even as the girl gave a shiver nothing to do with the nighttime cold. She was the first to pull out her D-vector, followed suit by the others.

"Guilty Claw!" roared the Gigadramon. Its claws flipped shut, forming a driving point as it descended down upon the English ShimaUnimon.

"Dejisooru Chaaji!" Kyoko cried. The corona of pink light flared brilliantly through the night as her power activated, and she thumbed the main button her D-Vector. "Reflector!" There was a flash of light, and suddenly the massive claw bearing down on them stopped and suddenly rebounded on itself.

Gigadramon was thrown backward by the force of its own rebounded attack, throwing it against a tree which promptly splintered. But it didn't stop there, continuing onward to where the southern ShimaUnimon and its passengers had attempted to take modest cover.

"Hold tight, kids!" The ShimaUnimon warned. Artemis tensed, and Jeanette's couldn't-be-helped scream cut the night air. The sound was blood-chilling, and Kyoko flinched, but that ShimaUnimon knew what she was doing.

The Gigadramon tumbled toward her until it filled the beast's field of vision, and as it hit the top of one of its bounces, ShimaUnimon made her move. She put on an extra bit of speed to close that infinitesimal gap, and dove under the cyborg serpent. She dropped to her knees to fit, and even then, Jeanette could have reached up to brush her fingers across its scaly side. The Gigadramon's momentum carried it onward, and it crashed headlong into another tree where it then slumped to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Kyoko called as the brazen ShimaUnimon climbed back to her feet.

"We are well," Artemis said, with the merest green-eyed glance back at her tamer. "Attack now! Aim for its wings. Then we may flee!"

"Sure thing, boss," Hang said with biting sarcasm, but they all saw the wisdom in her words.

"**Wild Thunder!**  
>"Blazing Ice!"<br>"Razor Wind!"

The four attacks pummeled the dazed serpent, metal shrieking as it was rent. Red-hot flakes broke off into the night, and some were vaporized outright by the heat of the attacks.

"Come on!" said Cyrus, tapping his hand against the back of Hang's neck. But none of them needed to be told twice, and the three were galloping onward once again. They could only hope the Gigadramon was sufficiently crippled to prevent it from coming after them again.

"W-why?" Jeanette murmured. "Are zhey after us like zis?"

"No doubt they desire the power of tamers' Digisouls," Artemis said, as unflappable and stoic as ever. "Please hold on tightly."

The sounds of the battle at Arcwater had faded almost completely now as the two ShimaUnimon along with Hang ran in silence through the night.

"Doin' okay, Net-chan?" Kyoko called out, fiddling nervously with her D-vector as she leaned close and squinted through the wind at the other ShimaUnimon's passengers.

"F-fine," was Jeanette's faint reply. Inside, Jeanette was quite glad that she was riding on ShimaUnimon. It was vaguely like the horses she'd been on at a few points in the past, but this one required no guidance. As it was, her knees and lower legs felt like jelly even as she sought to remain in control of her condition. She couldn't let it interfere, she just couldn't. Not if it meant trouble for her, or worse, for Cyrus, Kyoko, or any of their partners.

They made their way onto a road heading west, though the path was still framed by the darkened woods. The trees soon however thinned, and a wood and rope bridge was visible in the distance across a small chasm.

"Incoming!" yelled Bolter, watching their backs as the group ran onward. His warning was followed several seconds later by a grating shriek and a massive shadow visible in the night sky above them. Gigadramon was back, though his flight was slower than usual and seemed almost drunken as he wavered back and forth with his damaged wings.

"Genocide Gear!" A pair of missiles screamed toward them, and the three had to increase their pace even further. The explosions rang out behind them, two explosions ripping smoking craters into the landscape behind the group.

"Make for the bridge!" yelled the male ShimaUnimon, his hooves pounding a frantic rhythm against the ground. His partner nodded and seemed to understand, but the others didn't realize the plan.

Branches were torn apart as Gigadramon accidentally collided with them, giving a roar of frustration at the damage that was preventing it from completing its mission. "Guilty Claw!" it yelled, cutting through a thick branch that blocked its path as it hovered lower and lower above the tamers, drawing closer.

"Blazing Ice!" yelled Bolter, firing several energy projectiles at the aggressive cyborg. The small explosions flashed against its scaly hide, but seemed to have little stopping power. He fired another short volley, with more explosions ringing out, but again the real damage seemed minimal.

"Hey," said Hang, turning her head to look at the ShimaUnimon running beside her, only to see it wasn't there as she reached the bridge. "What gives?" she asked, turning sideways and skidding to a stop.

Both ShimaUnimon had stopped several yards behind her, also turning sideways and glaring toward the oncoming Gigadramon. "Go," said the Male ShimaUnimon, bending down and looking at Kyoko. "We'll hold it off. Get across the bridge. The town isn't much further now. Go!"

Kyoko quickly dismounted, but Jeanette was less willing to part with her steed. "B-but! Don't we 'ave a better chance together?"

"Now, Jeanette!" Artemis said impatiently, elbowing her tamer quite forcefully in the stomach. The French youth protested, but her balance was already gone. With a yelp she pitched off to the side, but a pair of strong hands was there to catch her and gently lower her to the ground.

"Merci," Jeanette said, straightening as her sneakers met the ground.

"No problem," Kyoko grinned. "Now come on!" she said, breaking into a run. Bolter still clung to her neck, and Artemis leapt down to the ground. The two ShimaUnimon stood fast against the relentless Gigadramon, their red visors now glowing brilliant green.

The sneakers of the two girls pounded the bridge as they ran across its wooden planks. Artemis's boots joined them, the Child Digimon following up the rear with Kyoko in the lead and Jeanette between them.

"**Raster Shot!**" Lances of green light leapt from the ShimaUnimons' visors, blasting fiercely at the Gigadramon. Yet even as the attacks pummeled it, the massive serpent twisted as it flew through the air and simply flew right over them. It shuddered with repeated shots and bellowed with agony, but would not, or could not, deviate from its mission.

The wooden bridge swayed, but with the greater fear of the dark Digimon pursuing them, they ran for where Cyrus and Hang had already taken up position on the far end of the bridge after the Leppamon had crossed the bridge in just a few light leaps.

Air curled and twisted around Hang's bladed tale as her fierce eyes fixed on the Gigadramon. "Razor!" she drew it back. "Wind!" she cried, swinging her tail like a homerun swing of a baseball bat. The blade of wind lashed out through the air, and hit its mark.

Unfortunately, they didn't foresee the consequences of the attack. After all it had weathered, the attack was finally too much for the Gigadramon's failing body. It gave a bellowing gasp as it swings shuddered, and the beast succumbed to gravity. The creature had passed over the two girls and their partners, but as the Gigadramon plunged downward, it tore through the planks and rope of the bridge like a hot knife through butter.

"Kuso!" yelled Kyoko, as both she and Artemis closed ranks around Jeanette even as the bridge collapsed around them. It almost seemed to happen in slow motion, with planks breaking or tumbling away, rope snapping and twisting through the air as the bridge disintegrated.

"Hang on!" yelled Bolter, as the four formed into an interwoven tangle of limbs, all clinging to one another as the bridge gave way and gravity took its hold and drew them downward. The sloped rock walls raced past them, and the gurgling water below was waiting to meet them.

"Kyoko! Bolter! Artemis!" Cyrus yelled frantically, his blue eyes wide, numbly gripping Hang. "Go!" He urged her. The Leppamon was off, racing downstream as four splashes were heard. Her eyes frantically roved the landscape, looking for a path down, a long branch, anything to either get her down to the yelling, splashing, thrashing mass of tangled limbs below, or get them up and out. But the current was fast, and there was little purchase on the rock riverbanks.

The twin ShimaUnimon had disappeared, lost in the chaos, destroyed by the Gigadramon's last breath, or summoned back to the battle.

Out of one peril, and into another. Emboldened by the desperate cries of those below, Hang increased her already frantic pace in a search for some way to get aid to the four in the river.

* * *

><p>"Mmmnn," Kyoko moaned, her heterochromatic eyes slowly flickering open. The light of the dawn filtered in through the branches and leaves of the canopy above her, dancing in a soothing pattern across her.<p>

Beyond the gentle heat of the sun, she could feel that her clothes were soaking wet. Blinking, she could feel her head resting against something wet. Her head tipped back, and she saw a reassuring sight: The glint of glasses, blond and pink, and a relieved smile.

"Net-chan?" Kyoko asked, trying to sit up. But above and beyond the moisture sill soaking her, her body felt like lead.

"I'm 'ere," Jeanette said, kneeling fully beside a tree with Kyoko's head in her lap. "I-I'm glad you're awake."

"What happened?"

"After we fell in the river, you and Artemis kept me afloat… but by the time the current died down, you were exhausted… we were able to pull you on shore."

Kyoko gave an easy sigh and exhaled. Under any other circumstances she could have just fallen asleep for a little nap right now, still tired and so comfortable with the gentle warmth of the sun but the reassuring chill of the water soaking her.

But things weren't that simple, and some of her adrenaline remained. "Bolter? Artemis? Cyrus? Hang?" She groaned, trying to push herself upright but failing.

"I'm here, sleepyhead," said Bolter, giving Kyoko a hard pinch in the side before he clambered up on her belly. "I might make a good parachute, but I'm not much of a floatation device. You okay?"

"'m okay," muttered Kyoko, petting the Lopmon's horned head and smiling. "And I bet the Queen of Cheer is here to?" Her eyes flickered to the sides, but saw nothing.

"She's looking for Cyrus and 'ang," Jeanette said. "We got separated…"

Kyoko nodded lightly, and it was only with great reluctance that she sat up and ruffled her auburn hair. She pushed herself upright, her muscles slow and uncooperative as she moved. Now she imagined she knew what Jeanette felt like when her cataplexy flared up.

* * *

><p><strong>Mustav Village, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Coniferous trees sprawled in a wide blanket across the rolling plains of the Northern Province. Through the evening gloom a small cluster of buildings sat near the river, bright light shining from the windows of the dwellings.

One such building stood as the largest, the local inn and tavern, at the center of the village. It was the usual sort of gathering place, yet the crowd seemed swollen above normal. Some whispered quietly, some only watched in silence.

"Why are they starin' at us?" wondered Colin, a brown-haired human boy. His skin was naturally fair but tanned by the sun, just as his short and unstyled, messy hair had been bleached lighter. His clothes were simple and utilitarian, a t-shirt, blue jeans, jacket, and workboots. Coupled with his lean and strong build, it was clear that he spent many a day working under the sun. Clipped to his belt was a white, red-marked D-Vector.

"I guess they haven't seen humans around here before…" said Zander, another, slightly older boy was seated across from the first in a table nestled in the corner. This one was leaner than the first and notably more pale, his hair shorter, spiky, and silver, his eyes the same color and home to a cool intensity. He was dressed largely in black and gray, a t-shirt and pants covered by a dark trench coat. He fiddled with a black, silver-marked D-Vector in one hand.

"Yeah, humans are pretty rare," said the gearlike Koro sitting, or rather hovering, beside the silver-haired boy. His main body was a black metal disc ringed in a golden, toothed pattern like the rim of a gear, a theme that was echoed in the two small silver discs that served him as hands.

"About what I figured," Zander said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back. "What intrigues me Colin is the fact you don't have a partner…"

Colin frowned a bit, nervously fiddling with his fork. "Koro was an egg when you arrived, right?" he said, picking up a glass of water and drinking from it. "Well, I didn't have an egg. It was just me, and this," he tapped his D-Vector.

"Maybe that's all you need?" Koro wondered, drinking from a bottle of 5W-30 motor oil. It should help keep his systems lubricated, with all the parts moving smoothly even in the heat of battle or the bitter cold further north.

"So," said the fiery red, Penguin-like creature that marched up to the table, server's notepad protruding from his apron pocket. "How'll you human-types be payin' today?"

"Uh…" The sound of uncertainty was echoed across the booth. Colin spoke up first, reaching for his wallet. "I don't suppose United States Dollars are valid currency here?"

"You-a-whooza-whatsa?" the Muchomon said, then shook his head. "We take bits, bits, _bits_, and uh, bits."

Zander and Koro exchanged shady glances. There were always ways besides paying up when one didn't remain confined to the straight and narrow of morality.

"I think that's gonna be a problem," said Colin. He'd grown up on a farm after all, there was always something to be said for hard work and a respectful tongue.

"You're joking, right?" said a sharp, sardonic female voice. Swift footsteps approached from the side, coming up behind Zander and a female human stepped up beside him. One of rather eccentric appearance at that, she would have stood out from a crowd even on Earth.

She was slightly above average in height, nearly as tall as the boys, with notably pale skin. Almost almond-shaped eyes were framed by heavy makeup, and the eyes themselves did not match. The left was a steely blue, the right was dark brown. Her hair's base color was a light brown, but on top of being gelled straight and out in a shape vaguely reminiscent of a umbrella, was riddled with a variety of gold, blue, pink, and purple streaks.

Her form seemed quite defined for her early teen age, though at a healthy rather than Hollywood weight besides. Her top was covered by a lavender hooded sweatshirt no doubt intended to ward off the northern cold, her bottom and feet by a pair of blue jeans and pink sneakers respectively. A blue and purple D-Vector dangled from under a long sleeve on a wrist strap.

"Give me that." She snapped. Visible clinging to the girl's shoulder was a slender, insectoid Digimon. Its bulbous head and posterior where connected by a more slender section, both pale green with violet legs and a stinger. Scraggly feelers trailed from the Wormmon's head, its eyes were heterochromatic, the same blue and brown as the tamer, but reversed.

"_Here_," she said forcefully, picking up Zander's D-Vector and ignoring his protest. It extended at her touch, and then her thumbs quickly worked the buttons, naturally navigating the screens and menus until she found the one she was after. "There's the money feature," she placed the D-Vector down on the table. "So you can pay for your meal," her mismatched eyes flickered over the cleaned plates, and her tone suggested she had just explained to them how to tie their shoes.

Colin leaned over the D-Vector, looking over the screen the stranger had activated. "Uh, thanks, Miss…?"

The girl glanced at him but did not even give a reply, speaking instead to her partner. "C'mon, Arcsinh." she said, slowly stroking the head of the Wormmon perched on her shoulder before striding onward. The girl in her dark clothing melted into the crowd, and it wasn't long before she had vanished altogether.

"Wow," muttered Colin, sullen. "What did I say?"

"Nothing," muttered Zander. "She's probably like that anyways." With the payment rendered, Muchomon skipped off on his way. "Why did I get stuck with the bill…?"

"Should we follow her?" Koro suggested, floating a little higher and using his cogs to set the empty carton of oil down on the table.

"Maybe we should?" said Colin, raising an eyebrow at Zander. "I mean, she seems to know a lot… maybe she can help us?"

"Well said," stated Koro.

"Then let's follow her," Zander tucked his D-Vector into an inside pocket in his long coat, perhaps wary of others snatching it up. As he started to rise, someone else jostled past him. "Oh, come on!" he said in frustration.

The figure stopped, turning to glance back at him over her shoulder. The girl was small and slender, barely five feet tall and perhaps 115 pounds soaking wet. Her hair was long and brown, parted in a silky curtain along her ears, and her eyes were a striking shade of purple. Her features were certainly what many would call pretty, suggesting a mixed Asian heritage, and her skin was rather fair.

A polearm tipped in a single-edged, slightly curved blade was strapped to her back. Its shaft was burnished blue, the head a curiously vivid orange. Most of her form was covered in a mixture of black leather and what appeared to be chainmail armor. An underlayer of leather was covered by a full suit of chain mail from ankles to wrists to neck. On top of that were leather boots, gloves, a belt, and torso armor made of leather. A black and orange D-Vector appeared to be strapped sideways to her wrist with a velcro band like a watch.

"Hey," she said in a friendly, yet cool tone as though she knew something they didn't. Her eyes glinted as they passed over Zander, Colin, and finally the single Digimon between them. A smile curled her full lips, and then turned decidedly smirklike before she marched onward.

"The girls around here sure are weird," Colin said once the girl was out of earshot, thoroughly bemused.

Zander however, seemed more intrigued than anything else, with the girl's confidence and indefinable air of power.

* * *

><p>Lexi Tashimi swept out of the tavern. Fair-skinned fingers that broke free of their leather sheathes brushed across the chainmail wreathing her abdomen. The cold evening air settled around her, but it didn't seem to daunt her. After all, the icy bite of the rural air was nothing compared to the power lurking inside her.<p>

It came at a high price, and the days were many that she wished she could just break down and cry. But such displays of weakness were not tolerated, and she was never alone. Purple eyes gleamed red, and she reached for the D-Vector at her wrist.

Her thumb clicked across the controls, and after a hiss of static, the device chimed. "_Report_" a voice, so hisslike itself, was nearly lost in the underlying static. Lexi held the device near her mouth and spoke.

"It's more of the same," the girl said quietly, walking briskly beyond the edge of the village and keeping her eyes alert for any signs of pursuit or even overly curious locals she'd have to do in. "More tamers arrive every day, but none of them have the power," she hesitated "His Highness needs. Even I don't have a fraction of what's necessary."

There was a pause as the being on the other end seemed to digest her words. "_Continue working on your own strength, and be fortunate that another tamer has been located, one that may have what is necessary."_

"Another tamer?" Lexi's face registered obvious surprise, and she stopped in place. "_One_ tamer could be enough?"

"_Yes."_ Another pause. "_Continue working on your own strength. There may come a time when quantity is our only option."_

"I will," Lexi replied, arm shivering slightly. She was curious and perhaps even a little afraid of a tamer that powerful, but she knew better than to push for details that weren't given.

"_See that you do. You know the consequences of failure. You don't want to get punished again, do you?"_ The voice faded in a wash of static.

Lexi gave a nervous shudder, the night feeling colder than it had before. The D-Vector fell back to her side, the crimson gleam passing from her eyes.

Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan


	11. Chapter 11

**He Fights as One**

* * *

><p><strong>Near Mustav Village, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

"Maybe we shouldn't be out at night, Zander," Koro commented, the Hagurumon gliding gently along a worn path headed southeast out of the small village. "It's cold and there's bound to be wild Digimon on the loose." His gear-hands clicked and twisted against his main frame in agitation, his eyes warily scanning the darkness.

"We'll have to risk it," Zander strode swiftly through the dark forest, straining his eyes against the darkness. Not one but _both_ of the girls they had attempted to follow had eluded them. The polearm bearing brunette had disappeared as though into thin air at the edge of the village. She had rounded a corner around a watch tower and when the trio had followed, there had been no sign of her anywhere.

The other girl, the one with the eccentrically done hair and make-up, had left a trail that seemed easy enough to follow along the path Zander, Koro, and Colin now followed. Her sneakers had left distinct prints amid the others on the trail that Colin had homed in on easily, but no matter their pace the girl seemed to hover just out of sight.

"You sure these are fresh prints, Colin?" Zander asked, rubbing his hands together as they paused at a fork in the road. "I want to know where she is now, not where she went yesterday." His arms then folded, instinctively burying the cooled flesh in the layers and folds of his coat.

"Positive," Colin bent down, carefully picking out the familiar oval shape and tread pattern and then looking where one of the forks lead. The forest split open in that direction, yielding to a gurgling stream. "I grew up on a farm, did hunting and tracking too." He straightened and exhaled a deep breath, the mist sparkling in the faint light of the moon rays peaking through the trees. "But what the heck is she doing travelling at this hour?"

Zander's only reply was a shrug and a grunt as he headed the direction Colin had indicated, Koro following dutifully behind him. "I want to talk to her," he said between heavy breaths to sustain his increasing pace. "And find out what else she knows that could help me." There was an almost hungry look in his silver eyes, while his face was a mask of intensity.

"Maybe she doesn't want to be followed?" Koro wondered, his eyes scanning up and down both sides of the path as he did his best to keep a look out for any trouble while the two boys focused on their quarry.

"Then she's gonna have to try harder," Colin said with tones of faint amusement. Though he stayed a few paces behind Zander and to the side, as his breaths steadily sent mist into the air, he seemed rather unbothered by their pace. "Is it really so bad to just want a few tips?"

"Least she can't eat you like some Digimon would…" As if to punctuate Koro's remark, there was a rumbling rustle from somewhere in the distance of the forest, followed by a primal roar.

"You had to open your mouth," Zander said, pausing and looking warily toward the source of the disturbance. It might have sounded like a ways out, but that was no reason to be cautious. But as the minutes ticked by in apparent silence, the silver-haired young man beckoned to his comrades and marched on again. "Probably just a Digimon getting a midnight snack."

"Better whatever it found than us," Colin said fervently, looking faintly nervous now. Nonetheless, he had a solid fix on the tracks of mystery girl number one. "She's just heading down the road. I doubt she even knows we're here."

"Fine by me," said Zander, pausing to breathe warmth onto his hands again before cursing the cold under his breath. "I'm getting tired of this chase." Leaving Colin to watch the tracks, he instead pulled his D-Vector out. Sure enough, the money screen had been easily found. He idly probed the other buttons, reminded of a cell phone. There were buttons for navigating menus, and others seemed to be for entering data. If only he could find a function that was helpful now.

Another bellow rent the crisp night air, this time much closer, and it was enough to make Koro jump slightly. "That doesn't sound good," he said, pausing again. "I can hear something coming, Zander. It's big, whatever it is!"

"And probably not friendly," Zander turned on the spot, his coat furling out briefly behind him as he turned toward the disturbance. "Think you can handle it?"

"Maybe we should run for it?" suggested Colin. "We'd catch that girl and get away from… whatever it is all at the same time." He took several bandy steps up the path as though waiting only for his companions to agree. "Guys?" Sounds of rustling leaves and snapping branches grew closer and closer, until _something_ big was visible heading their way.

The screen of Zander's D-Vector flashed, and information scrawled across the screen. It seemed to have identified the oncoming target as a Kuwagamon, displaying the related information on the Digimon as well as a picture of a large insect with a red and black shell, four arms, two wings, and massive pincers framing its head.

The Kuwagamon passed through a shaft of moonlight, its shell glistening as its mouth opened wide. A roar reverberated from its massive jaws as they spread wide, the green flesh set with a large number of exceedingly large teeth.

A tree branch impeded the beast's path as it lumbered toward the trio. As its head glanced off the stout wood and bark, a clawed hand came up and cleaved through the obstruction. Watching the insect cleave through an obstruction the thickness of a man's torso with ease caused Colin to take a step back.

"Koro, attack!" barked Zander. He steadied himself as the beast drew closer, coming out of the woods and onto the worn dirt road and.

"Darkness Gear!" Koro's black metal faceplate briefly split open down the middle, the two sides retracting until there was a gap several inches down the center of his face. A gear similar to one of his cog hands blasted out from within, shooting at Kuwagamon like some razor-edged throwing knife.

Kuwagamon swatted aside the attack as though it was some nuisance insect, his thick legs propelling him forward toward his prey. Two of his four hands reached forward hungrily, and as though at some signal, Colin, Zander, and Koro all turned and ran.

They pounded their way up the path with Kuwagamon in close pursuit, each of his footfalls like a small rumble of thunder. His massive exoskeletal frame bashed and crashed through the low-hanging branches and the trees too close to the paths, occasionally aided by a swing of his wickedly-clawed arms.

"Darkness Gear!" Koro spun in place again, his face splitting as he fired. The attack struck Kuwagamon, but glanced harmlessly off his exoskeleton. The machine Digimon had barely enough time to get moving again before one of Kuwagamon's arms cleaved through the air he'd just vacated. A geyser of dirt shot into the air as the attack missed, and Kuwagamon continued his pursuit.

It came at a price, but as Colin looked ahead, he saw one benefit to their increased pace. A familiar silhouette stood just inside the shade of a large tree, with spiky hair and a lumpy shoulder. "Hey!" he yelled out, waving a frantic hand. "Over here! Help!"

Zander gave a sharp whistle to get the girl's attention, and soon enough she turned in place. She shifted slightly as though in surprise as the three neared her. She said something, but her words were lost in the noisy night.

Breaking into a run, she headed not away from the Kuwagamon, but directly toward it. A dark purple light flared from her hand, and the Wormmon she'd called Arcsinh jumped down from her shoulder.

"Sticky Net!" the greenish insect's mouthparts spread wide, something gelatinous spraying from within. The substance quickly widened as it passed over Zander, Colin, and Koro, turning into a net that enveloped Kuwagamon's left side.

The insect howled in confusion as it stumbled, the thick resin binding the leg and both arms. A right arm reached around to cut itself free, but with the cry of "Entangle!" Koro's face split open again. Rather than shooting dark gears, a myriad of computer cables shot out and wrapped around the arm. Koro tried to pull back on the hand and keep the Kuwagamon trapped, but he wasn't able to stop the insect's other right arm from tearing into the webbing instead. "No fair…" bemoaned the robot as the sticky net was torn away.

Before Koro could let go of the arm, Kuwagamon gave it a fierce jerk. Like a fish on the end of a line, Koro was yanked forward, flying toward the Kuwagamon. Orange light flared around its claws, and the insect swatted Koro back down. A fierce screech rang through the air as claws met metal, before there was a dull thud as Koro crashed to the ground.

His binding coils feebly unwrapped themselves from Kuwagamon's arm, withdrawing back into the Hagurumon. He managed to sputter his way back upright again, narrowly dodging a foot as Kuwgamon tried to step on him.

The girl stood behind Colin and Zander, her arms folded over her chest while her heterochromatic eyes watched her partner harass Kuwagamon with a series of shots of a needle-thin silk. "You two again, huh?" she said derisively.

Zander sent a glowering look in her direction at the remark, but she either didn't notice or didn't care. Her auburn eyebrows had dipped close, but it couldn't be said for sure whether it was an intense focus on the battle, or an intense irritation that she had been followed.

Kuwagamon pounced on Arcsinh, but the Wormmon smartly rolled into a ball and shot out from under the attack. Like a ludicrous game of life-sized pinball the furled insect ricocheted off a tree and blasted at Kuwagamon, striking the massive insect in the leg.

That briefly buckled Kuwagamon, and a follow-up shot had the Wormmon strike him in the side. The massive insect gave a wheezing noise, but on the third bounce it suddenly twisted its head. The massive pincers framing its broad head snapped shut on Archsinh like a trap, and were just as thorough at pinning the Wormmon.

"No!" yelled Koro, shooting forward and blasting Kuwagamon's thick exoskeleton with several Darkness Gears. But each in turn bounced off, and with a sudden blow the Hagurumon was sent flying back into a tree. There was a sickening crack and Koro fell to the ground, unmoving.

At the same time Kuwagamon tightened even further on Archsinh, leaving the smaller insect without leverage and pinned in his rolled-up form by the large, spiked pincers. To his credit, the outmatched Digimon did not cry in pain even as he was finally released, only to be repeatedly slashed at by two of Kuwagamon's arms as he fell.

"No!" the girl yelled, taking half a step forward. Blue or brown it didn't matter, red flashed in her eyes as she raised her D-Vector. The flickering purple light returned to her hand, dancing erratically like a windswept flame.

But before she could finish whatever she was attempting, Kuwagamon lumbered forward and extended his arms as though hoping to give the three tamers a very uncomfortable hug. Zander bolted to the side, and Colin was left to grab the mysterious girl around the shoulders and roll both of them out of the way of the attack.

They tumbled to a stop in the dirt, but Kuwagamon wasn't done with them. It ignored Zander as he stepped to the side around the massive insect, instead bearing down on the two prone tamers. Colin was up first, his eyes jerking about and seeing that both the child-level guardians were still struggling to rise. Meanwhile Kuwagamon stalked the remaining distance toward them, moving more slowly as if savoring what was to come.

Bracing his legs against the ground, Colin forced himself upright. His hands balled into fists as he prepared to fight any way he could, but a light suddenly flared from near his waist. The brilliant radiance of the D-Vector shone through even the thick fabric of the jacket pocket.

The light grew until it had surrounded Colin completely in a miniature sun, before it seemed to condense into a new form. The boy was encased now in what seemed like a cocoon made of pure white feathers that gave off a subtle light, causing Zander, the girl, and even Kuwagamon to give him a wide berth.

Then with a flurry of motion the feathers burst wide. The slender farmboy was gone, in its place a tall and angelic creature that had to have been a Digimon. A long curtain of auburn hair extended from under a metal helmet, while the feathers appeared to be from the two wings upon his back. His form was mostly clad in white, save for errant leather belts, gold ornamentation, and striking cherry cloth draped from his waist.

Wind swept through the battlefield before the angelic warrior had even taken flight, his hands raising a mighty golden staff. "Thou art I," Colin's voice rang out loudly and clearly, yet it sounded almost mystical in nature, echoing and mysterious. "And I am thou." His two hands took a fierce grip on the staff, and in the blink of an eye, he charged.

His wind wake fiercely pounded the girl as she rose unsteadily back to her feet, while the angelic warrior lashed out with his staff. With a crack the rod impacted one of Kuwagamon's legs, cracking the exoskeleton.

By the time the Kuwagamon could turn however, Colin had already wheeled about and was ready to attack again. "Fire Feather!" he pulled a single feather from one of his wings, the item glowing orange as he suddenly threw it like a knife. The feather burst into a fireball midflight, striking Kuwagamon in the chest.

Smoke and fire erupted around the insect as he stumbled backwards, and Pidmon did not let up. He hurtled at Kuwagamon, and visible as little more than a blur, he lashed out repeatedly with his staff. Leg, arm, torso, torso, leg, arm, pincher, head, until the battered insect keeled over backwards. The staff rose high like a sword before the fatal blow, and plunged straight into Kuwagamon's core.

The beast gave a final agonized howl as its cohesion broke down and data particles scattered into the air, while Pidmon slumped over, breathing heavily from his exertions. A final heavy breath was exhaled, and the form of the angel melted and wavered, leaving Colin standing in the spot it had vacated.

As each recovered from the battle in their own way, Zander, Koro, Archsinh and the girl all stared in awe at Colin, who looked himself up and down with equal amazement. "That power," murmured Zander, glancing down as Koro returned unsteadily to his side. "You alright, buddy?" he asked. His partner nodded, appearing to bow as much as anything, his anatomy not meant for precision mimicry of human gestures.

"Now," Zander said firmly, looking to the strange girl. Her battered partner scuttled back up to her shoulder, and Zander strode up to her. "Miss Know-it-all. You can start by telling me who you are, and what the _hell_," he jerked his head over his shoulder at Colin. "He just did."

* * *

><p>Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption<p>

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	12. Chapter 12

**Dawn Over a New World**

* * *

><p><strong>Bank of the Seras River, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

The final smattering of the fallen Kuwagamon's data particles drifted away on the wind. The wild Digimon had succeeded in defeating the Digimon partners that stood against it, but had succumbed to the power and awesome speed of what seemed to be the least of the tamers. Assuming the holy mantle of Pidmon, Colin had dispatched the insect in a brutal but exhausting show of power. Now the tamer slumped heavily against a tree, trying to catch his breath while his companion Zander and the strange girl they had tried to follow spoke to one another.

"Who am I?" the girl said in clipped tones, hardly bothering to glance at Zander. "I'm Katsumura Sugiyama. This Digimon," her head twitched to the side, and the stiff locks of hair that brushed against the shelled side of her partner's head didn't budge at the contact. "Is my partner Arcsinh. I've been in the Digital World for just under one week. I haven't the foggiest idea what your friend did," her mismatched eyes flickered to Colin. "Though I wouldn't mind figuring it out, it's a neat trick."

Her tone remained unusual, a faint and veiled smolder of distaste alloyed with a sort of chilly indifference. There were definite traces of what seemed to be an English accent in the way she spoke, but her lexicon seemed broader. "Thanks for the lovely conversation, and I'll be going now. Take care." She had spoken near nonstop without giving either of the boys a chance to interject, comment, or ask further questions, and punctuated herself with a sarcastic salute.

Colin pushed himself upright, catching a querying glance from Zander. The girl's oddness clearly wasn't some skin-deep following, or divergence from, a fad. "I don't think so," said Zander, standing in the girl's path as she made to continue down the path. "I've got more questions."

From the scowl that quickly formed on Katsumura's face, she wasn't in the mood to take back her earlier statements and answer Zander. "It's nothing personal," the teenage girl grunted. "But I'm going. Get out of my way." She fixed Zander with a hard stare and seemed on the verge of going further, but Colin interrupted.

"We're not lookin' for trouble," he said, slowly approaching Katsumura as diplomatically as possible. "We're just new around here, and we're looking for a few pointers, that's all. Now, you've said you don't want us around, and I'm inclined to leave you to it, but," he waved a hand to the shadowy warren of wood all around them. "Is it really a good idea for any of us to travel alone right now? We've already been attacked once. We're worn out. Aren't we better off sticking together, at least until the next town?"

Katsumura calmly regarded Colin, arms folded and her D-Vector dangling near her waist from the wrist strap. "Katsu? Please?" It took the others a moment to realize the soft-spoken speaker was Arcsinh, having not heard the Wormmon speak before. "I can try to protect you myself, but it _would_ be easier having help."

The girl sighed, clearly sensing defeat when even her own partner was all for it. "Fine. I was heading to the next town," she pointed through Zander.

"In the middle of the night?" Zander asked, rubbing his hands together before puffing on them to try and ward off the cold.

Katsumura strode passed him with a shrug. "It's a place called Moonbrook. It's a small trading settlement, you should be able to pick up some Drivers there."

"Drivers?" Colin asked, but Katsumura gave a grunt and a shrug. She was already on her way down the path again. Arcsinh turned his bulbous head and looked back toward them.

"Come on," he said in the same quiet tone. "We'll… ah, explain everything later."

* * *

><p><strong>Town of Moonbrook, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

"So this is it, huh?" murmured Colin as he strode into town a few yards behind Katsumura. The place reminded him a lot of the last village they'd stopped in, but it was larger and a little more active. The horizon was a dazzling smear of color as the sun slowly rose over the landscape, casting rays of light that danced through the windswept forest.

As they had travelled southeast, the largely coniferous forests had given way to a more equal blend of evergreen and seasonal trees. Apparently it was what passed for summer in the Digital World, although with the fine layer of dew covering many things it might have hard to know.

"I heard about this place," Zander said, scrutinizing every little detail from the buildings of the town to those who inhabited it as he moved. Koro hovered at his side, briefly eying the contents of a merchant stall that was one of many set up along the main thoroughfare through town. This one in particular sold everything a machine Digimon could need to sustain itself, from oil to anti-freeze to scrap metal.

"The barman at the last town mentioned something about a supposed bandit base near here," Zander said, following Katsumura as she walked toward a particular merchant stall. It was presided over by what appeared to be a brown and white feline of some kind, curiously wearing a pair of goggles. Despite the appearances of an overly large Earth animal, he seemed quite happy to see the three tamers approach his shop and beckoned them closer to do business.

"This is the place where Katsu bought most of her equipment," Arcsinh explained studiously. "I believe she's already shown you the money feature."

The Mikemon, or so Colin's D-Vector called it, carried a little bit of everything crammed onto the thin and narrow shelves of what space he had. Each boy was given a chip to be loaded into their D-Vector, what their companions had mentioned earlier. Colin politely declined to make any further purchases, but Zander left the booth with a shiny new sword strapped to his back.

Despite the fact that the sun was now out in full force, none of the tamers seemed up for much activity except for perhaps Katsumura. They had settled in a small recreational area near the center of town, ao park of sorts with a little patch of extra greenery and a bunch of wooden benches scattered around a gently gurgling fountain.

At the fountain's center was a statue of Ranamon, the mermaid-esque Digimon standing with a bubbly expression on her face. Carved eyes of stone stared down at the little Otamamon and Pukamon statues in positions of frolic in the water, and the whole spectacle earned a glare from Katsumura.

The rest were content to settle in and relax. Colin laid down against a tree and dozed in a rather carefree way, while Zander seated himself on a bench. Though he slumped back in fatigue, his eyes remained sharp and her murmured indistinctly under his breath as he studied the drivers that had been loaded onto his D-Vector.

"If you won't be needing me," Koro hovered near the bench. "I'll shut down for awhile. My circuits need a recharge." Zander nodded absentmindedly, and the gear-faced cyborg slumped over slightly. Though his hovering system remained active, his eyes went blank and Koro grew still.

Eventually though the silver-haired tamer turned his matching eyes toward Katsumura, studying her as she studied their surroundings. For that's exactly what she was doing, not seeking conversation with either of the boys.

"You're sure you don't have any idea what power it is that Colin has?" Zander asked, rising slightly from the bench.

"Search me," Katsumura gave a slightly shrug. "I don't know _everything_ about this world… yet." She extended an idle hand, running it along the glossy, hard shell of her partner.

"We were staying at one of the inns in town," Arcsinh explained, scuttling up a little higher where he clung to Katsumura's blouse, the jacket having been discarded in the warmer daytime. "And happened to be visiting Mustav when you stopped in."

"So, _are_ there bandit problems in this area?" Zander repeated his question from before. He stretched in an almost casual way, but almost as if by developing reflex, his hand drifted toward the hilt of his new sword. As he spoke, Koro stirred faintly in his sleep mode.

"Some, yes," explained Arcsinh, while Katsumura's attention already seemed to slide away from the prospects of conversation and onto a bird that flew high overhead like a commercial airliner. Its burgundy wings were spread wide, riding the warm updrafts of air. "They're fond of picking off the trade convoys that pass through this area on their way to and from the eastern frontiers."

There was a spark in Zander's eyes, and lips were slightly twisted by the slightest of smirks. "I don't suppose there are bounties on them?"

Arcsinh's foremost set of legs moved as if in a shrug. "Yes. The Excalibur, that is to say, the kingdom's army is currently stretched too thin battling the Dark Army. Monetary rewards are often used to encourage those intrepid and daring enough to assist the kingdom in dealing with outlaws. Many have set off to claim such bounties without returning."

Zander's arms leisurely stretched up as he slouched back on the bench, and then laid his arms across the top and back of it. "So what's this about a Dark Army now?" Well, Zander had been right. Catching up to the girl had meant a wealth of information. Even if said information was coming from her partner rather than from Katsumura, who was now fiddling with her D-Vector.

Arcsinh relayed what he knew, about how the dark Digimon always spilling out of the east had been an increasing threat to the Kingdom. They had even established some footholds on the very outreaches of the kingdom, and were a threat to every law-abiding citizen throughout Chronus. "And there's more," Arcsinh continued. "The Dark Army recently attacked a border fortress called Arcwater. It is perhaps two days' hard travel southeast of here."

The news seemed to startle Zander, yet at the same time intrigue him as his eyes narrowed. "What happened in the battle?"

"The dark army was repulsed," Archsinh said slowly. "But the Excalibur suffered losses." The Wormmon tilted his head. "According to what a Bakumon told us, there were even several tamers present during the battle. He may have had a little too much ale, but I do believe him. And should you care to know, the tamers and their partners fought for the Excalibur."

"Partners," murmured Zander, glancing at Colin. The young farmboy stirred, eyes opening. He sat up and stretched, before stifling a yawn with one hand.

"Ah, that did it," he said cheerfully, pushing his way up the tree and standing. "Sure you don't want to catch some Zs, Zander?" Colin asked, while Arcsinh chuckled. "You look exhausted."

"I'll be fine," Zander shrugged. "I'm no stranger staying up for long periods." He turned his attention back toward Arcsinh. "One more question, little guy. Who was that other girl we saw at the tavern?"

"Um, well," Arcsinh scuttled slightly sideways as Katsumura tugged a pair of headphones onto her head. A wire lead down to the D-Vector, and soon the muffled sounds of music pulsing from the ear-mounted speakers could be heard by the rest of the group as well. "I'm not sure," Arcsinh admitted. "I was curious, especially since she was partnerless like you," Arcsinh nodded politely to Colin. "But Katsu wasn't interested in talking to her."

"Yeah, I get that from her," Zander muttered under his breath, probably hoping that Katsumura would miss it through the tunes blasting close to her ears. He shrugged and stood. "You said there's an Inn near here?" He glanced at Colin. "We should probably get rooms there until we decide what to do with ourselves…"

* * *

><p>The two boys had ended up with a room at the inn next to Katsumura's, furnished with two double beds, a dresser, a window overlooking the street below, and a small bathroom. Other than the different décor and more primitive construction, it could have passed for a Terrestrial hotel room.<p>

Colin fiddled with his D-Vector before glancing over at Zander. The silver-haired young man had finally given up and was sleeping on the bed, his trenchcoat slung on the rack near the door. Koro hovered in vigil at the window, while Colin lay on his back.

He chewed a sandwich as he stared at the display, frowning a bit as he pushed various buttons on the device. "I never was much good with computers or those fancier phones." He sighed and turned to stare out the window. Dusk was rolling in.

Sitting up, Colin took a sip of water and set aside the D-Vector. He glanced up at Koro when the Hagurumon suddenly spoke up. "Something's happening," the cyborg spun in place. "Zander, wake up! Trouble!"

Colin sprang up from the bed and bounded across to the window. He looked down from the second floor window, and sure enough there was something happening out on the main road. The Digimon that meandered through the town seemed to scatter in all directions, disappearing into alleyways or taking refuge in buildings.

Putting his face against the glass and peering to the side, Colin had a good idea why. Just like some terrestrial old American west flick, when the outlaws came to town, everyone ran for cover. The two Digimon barreling up the street certainly fit the description.

The first was a large, flightless avian. Powerful four-toed, scaly feet ending in wicked claws tore up the dirt road as the Digimon barreled into the town's midst. The bird's plumage was largely white, with red accents tipping the feathers of the large fanlike tail and vestigial wings. A crest of feathers adorned the head like a Mohawk, and the beak was large and lined with teeth. Colin's D-Vector identified it as Akatorimon.

Following a few steps behind the Akatorimon was a creature that seemed straight out of mythology. Four hooves ran along the ground, giving way to a horselike body. Yet instead of a head, a human form had been fused on to it. Its body was covered in short brown fur with odd purple plates like armor growing in multiple spots. Several robotic metal features had been added as well, at the shoulder, hands, and the head. A single red eye burned inside the helmet.

Several canvas sacks were strapped along the Centarumon's horseback, but it seemed he also had an additional passenger – in the form of a young human male about Zander or Colin's age. He was slumped unconscious against the back of Centarumon's torso, his hands and feet wrapped around the Adult's abdomen and bound by rope. His long black hair was pulled into a ponytail, his attire a casual American mix of blue jean shorts and a t-shirt.

The reason for their haste became apparent as a third Digimon raced in the wake of the first two. A short and spindly, bipedal wolfish creature ran in their wake. The Strabimon's attire seemed paramilitary, and fierce green eyes were locked on her target. The Strabimon yelled something at her prey that Colin couldn't hear, and kept after them.

"Let's go," said Zander, appearing beside Colin at the window, and watching the action below.

"Go?" echoed Colin, looking at Zander in confusion.

"Yeah," the older boy said impatiently. "Something's going on down there, and I'm not about to sit it out." He spun on his heel and ran for the door, Koro following dutifully behind him. After a moment's hesitation, Colin followed suit.

* * *

><p>"Hey Scratch," puffed the Centarumon, struggling to keep up with his avian cohort. "Why don't we just take her out?" He glanced over his shoulder as they ran near the park, seeing that the Strabimon hounding them was gaining ground.<p>

"And end up like Torque?" squawked Scratch. "I don't think so, Grinder! Keep running." She yelled back, leaping over a Chibimon that had tripped in all the chaos. Grinder simply plowed over the hapless Digimon, crushing the baby II back into data beneath his hooves.

"To hell with this," growled the Centarumon. Electricity coursed along his right arm, as the fins that composed the gun extended and slid into place. A piercing whine filled the air as a charge built within the weapon, until it was leveled on target and fired.

"Hunting Cannon!" a stream of brilliant yellow energy erupted from the tips of the weapon, lashing out at the pursuing Strabimon, known to her partner and friends as Artemis. A nimble jump however sent the lupine warrior sailing into the air, and leaving the blast of energy to gouge a furrow in the street.

"Fine," growled Scratch, still running for dear life. "If you have to shoot, don't aim at _her_. Shoot people! Buildings! Make her have to play hero instead of chase us!"

"Huh?" grunted Grinder, still loping along the road with his unwilling passenger on his back. "Oh, right!" he said, what was visible of his face lighting up as though the idea had been some sort of major epiphany. "Hunting Cannon!" he yelled, firing over his shoulder without caring what he hit.

The beam struck a tree, forcing the Hawkmon that had taken refuge in it to dive for cover before the heat of the attack caused the tree to explode. Another attack was fired, this one striking a small hobby shop. Flames erupted from the front of the building, but still Artemis pressed on.

"Hey, no fair!" growled Scratch, craning her head around and seemingly irritated that their pursuer remained focus even as they tried to distract her. Suddenly she dug her claws into the ground and skidded around, bringing herself to face Artemis.

"Scar Red Eye!" she shrieked, and two jets of flame lanced from her eyes toward their pursuer. Grinder barely side-stepped in time to avoid being cooked by the periphery of the attack, while Artemis had no such luck.

She was scorched in several places and sent reeling by the rushing tide of fire. The Strabimon fell over backwards but almost as quickly rose again, in time to see the fires of the Akatorimon's attack fading away.

Unfortunately the attack had stalled her just long enough for Cyrus's captors to get a lead on Artemis that she knew she could not close. The two fleeing Digimon ran out of sight at the far edge of the village, and Artemis scowled. She did not like to fail, though many would say she just had. Fortunately, there were always other options.

A quivering ear heard the approach of three coming up behind her, and as she turned in place, the Strabimon saw two human males and a gear-like Hagurumon coming up behind her. "Hey!" called out the shorter of the two, a boy with brown hair, waving as he jogged over. "Are you alright there, uh, Strabimon?"

* * *

><p>Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption


	13. Chapter 13

**Dusk and Midnight**

* * *

><p><strong>Lake Epiphany, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Sayori Alexis Tashimi stood on a small spit of land jutting out into the cool midst of a large, kidney-shaped lake. The waters gently lapped at strip of rocks and dirt upon which she was poised, while various aquatic Digimon played in the azure depths.

The late afternoon soon drifted slowly, inexorably toward the horizon. Night would soon come, but the sun's influence was not petering out just yet. Alexis allowed herself to bask in the warmth, feeling it soak through the metal and leather with which she was garbed.

The warmth was almost soothing, until a cold fist clenched around her heart. The chill spread, and she fought a shiver. "What do you want?" she asked, voice strained as the cold became painful. Out of the corner of a purple eye, the brunette saw that familiar shape.

The form was tall and female, profound in figure and clad mostly in black leather. There were also belts and chains strung across her body in various ornamental ways, while her already formidable height was further enhanced by the spiky high heel boots she wore. Tattered wings trailed from her back along with a silken sheet of pure white hair, while one of her arms was noticeably larger than the other and tipped in wicked crimson claws.

"_McNeil approaches,_" The Lady Devimon explained, fixing Lexi in a harsh stare. "_When you meet up with her, head after the next target._"

"I know," Lexi took a shuddering breath, willing the goose bumps to fade from her arms. To any observer, she would have appeared to be talking to herself. The Lady Devimon that she saw was a mere projection of what she harbored. Kera, a handmaiden of the dark sovereign Vakner, possessed a rather uncommon power among Digimon. She could merge her form with that of a human, gifting that human with all the powers the Lady Devimon herself possessed, but also subjecting them to her influence. While Kera couldn't actually _make_ Lexi's body do anything, she still had ways of twisting her host around her finger and putting the their combined power to getting the job done.

It hadn't been a voluntary arrangement, and the price to be paid was steep as Kera ordered her about and even went as far as insisting the girl's clothing be as utilitarian as it was. The naginata on her back had been Lexi's choice, but a weapon in general was Kera's insistence – even though Lexi could easily project any of Lady Devimon's attacks through her own body.

Lexi's head perked up, and her eyes tracked across the sky. "Here she comes," she said quietly. There was a distant and subtle rumble like continuous thunder, and a tiny black and gold object appeared over a nearby mountain range. In just a few seconds the object had travelled from the distant line of jagged spires to just over the far shore of the lake. By the time Lexi had straightened herself for arrival and finished attempting to brush her hair out with her gloved fingers, her comrade had arrived.

The D-Vector strapped to her wrist chimed as it identified the oncoming Digimon, but Lexi already knew it well. Kaiser Leomon, looking like an animated ornamental statue of a grand lion. Gold details adorned obsidian armor, a broad head framed by mane-like plates and two cannons. The Kaiser Leomon's tail whipped back and forth behind it as the near house-sized Digimon came in for a landing.

There was the briefest of flashes of golden light, and suddenly the leonine's armored form was receding in on itself. The plates drew themselves into a smaller form, and a much lighter figure flipped once through the air and landed brazenly on the rocks in front of Lexi.

"Hey Kera, how's it going?" the voice was spunky and energetic, yet alloyed with a cold, determined steel. The speaker was a teenage girl, probably close to Lexi herself in age. Bubblegum pink hair, cropped neat and close, framed her face. Her eyes were the same shade. She was generally slender but not slim, and was a little thick in the middle and didn't have much muscle on her frame. She wore a black spaghetti-strap tank-top, and a pair of short shorts of a typical forest camouflage pattern. Leather combat boots came up to her knees, and the skin that was left exposed had been tanned by exposure to the sun.

The final feature of note carried by the pink-haired girl was the large gun dangling from a shoulder strap. The bulky weapon was largely black with some pink highlights, with a grip near the back of the gun and a second near the front of it.

"I'm here too, you know," Lexi's protest was nonetheless in rather subdued tones as she looked the other girl up and down. She stiffened slightly as crimson stirred in her eyes. "Report, Led," she said in a more authoritative tone.

"I've destroyed both the bridges," Led said, caressing the large gun hanging from her shoulder. "No resistance," she smirked. "It's almost too easy. I guess we're just too good for them to keep up."

"Be silent," Lexi gave another crimson-eyed shudder, feeling the great weight and irritation of Kera pressing down upon her mind. "You're paid, handsomely I might add, to fight, not talk. With the three I destroyed, that just leaves the one bridge over the Seras near Moonbrook, and the primary land routes out of the Eastern Province will be cut off."

"What about the air routes?" Led said, cocking an eyebrow and fixing Lexi with a piercing look. "If our net has holes, our prey might get away." The look on her face made it very apparent she didn't like the idea of such an outcome.

Lexi frowned. Why did Led always have to be like this? If she'd just shut up and let Lexi, and by proxy, Kera, explain, they would already be on their way. "Do you _really_ think no one has thought of that?" Lexi said disdainfully. Somehow or another, it always felt good to be able to put someone else in their place , instead of being on the receiving end from Kera. "There's a Birdramon that runs an air taxi service not far from here. She's our target."

Led's face lit up and was slashed by an evil smirk. "Perfect. Live targets." She turned eagerly toward the horizon where the sun was slipping lower still, with night looming in the distance. "And then who's next? That bunch of Goblimon with the Zeppelin?"

"Yes," Lexi nodded. A sudden chill emanated from her body, causing a squawk of protest from Led. Lexi's booted feet lifted off the ground, and she floated there in midair. "Ready?"

"Ready," Led said grudgingly, tapping several buttons on a control panel recessed into her rifle. "I've got to figure out how to do that one of these days…" she muttered, her pink eyes watching Lexi hover freely.

"It's not worth it. Trust me," Lexi said, fully prepared for the mental hot poker that Kera shoved through her skull for the remark. Saying it had still been worth it, and as Led was engulfed in golden light, Lexi took to the skies.

Not far behind her, the form of Kaiser Leomon rose into the air. The two dark warriors flew up one of the rivers that fed the shimmering lake. As they headed east, trees rushed by on either side of the river's banks. The few Digimon that inhabited the region all knew to stay away from beings exuding such dark power. Those that didn't, were probably already dead.

The river wound this way and that through the forests, until it finally reached the base of a rocky cliff. With a heavy thud and the sound of mechanisms shifting, Led landed her Beast Spirit upon the ground. "What's the plan?" she asked, through the growling undertone of her beast spirit.

Lexi drifted down beside her, and twisted gracefully in the air as though weightless. Stopping her spin, she came to look at Led. "That's her nest/office up there," a slender, leather-covered index finger traced up a path that lead from the ground to a small shack surrounded by a tangle of branches midway up the cliff face. "Hammer and anvil," she said simply. "Let's do it." Her voice contained traces of what might have been enthusiasm.

Without further ado, one of her hands slipped around the shaft of her polearm and tugged the mighty weapon from its sling. Sunlight sparkled along its blue and orange surfaces, and Lexi shot up into the air.

"Sure thing, spice girl," grunted Led, bracing against the ground and leaping up after her. With a whine, Kaiser Leomon's thrusters fired again and the dark tamer moved into position below Lexi. The tamer still veiled in humanity now hovered high above the nest, lurking near the cliffs. That left Led below, and with the aim of drawing Birdramon's attention.

"Black Thunder!" The Beast roared, energy coalescing in its mouth. Then it burst forth, dropping the Kaiser Leomon several meters even as it sailed up toward the cliffside. The meteor of energy struck the side of the cliff above the nest, and sent tremors through the surrounding landscape.

Led then angled her shoulder guns up and raked the construct with repeated bursts of gunfire, fully set on provoking the bird to come out where she could be dispatched. "Come on out, you coward!" she taunted loudly.

There was a sudden boom and a streak of orange flashed through the sky. Led slid aside, barely in time to avoid Birdramon ramming headlong into her. The bird rolled and climbed again, subsonic this time, before finally looping and coming to hover over Led.

Birdramon's orange feathers coursed and flickered as though the bird was actively ablaze. The flat, bill-like snout of the bird opened wide, revealing large teeth. "Meteor – " Birdramon's attack cry was cut off with a strangled yell, and the reason behind it was soon revealed.

Lexi braced both hands along the shaft of her naginata, driving the blade deeper and deeper into Birdramon's neck. Kera's dark power coursed through Lexi's muscles, until the blade breached through their target's throat.

Birdramon's body gave a painful spasm as data particles eroded from her form and leaked out through the deep wound. She coughed and gasped, and then Lexi wrenched the polearm out.

A devilish smile came to Lexi's face as she swept the naginata back, and rested it on her shoulder. She watched as Birdramon gave a shuddering hack and tumbled toward the ground, with more data leaking out of the stricken avian. Lexi's boots floated free in the air once more, and her smile wavered slightly.

There was no doubt in her mind that Kera was responsible for the feelings of vicious, vindictive delight throbbing in her mind. Lexi had tried to resist such feelings initially, but after weeks of being a host to the dark handmaiden, it seemed easier to just play along and try to enjoy the better moments. There were some days when it felt like that was all Lexi could do to stop herself from spiraling into despair and depression.

Lexi gazed toward the fading embers of the sun scattering across the horizon, before descending toward Led. "The Zeppelin base is due south of us," she said, drifting downward until she landed lightly on Kaiser Leomon's back. Led balked briefly, but seemed to know better than buck Lexi off. "Let's go," Lexi crouched down between the leonine's shoulders, bracing for the wind.

The Kaiser Leomon rocketed off, skimming low and fast along the treetops. In the increasing darkness, the black of Led's armor hid itself from casual sight, though the gold still glinted in the growing starlight. It was to that speckled spectacle in the velvety night sky that Lexi's eyes were drawn, while her hair whipped out behind her.

"You saw that girl in action at Arcwater, right?" Lexi asked, speaking over the wind to Led.

"Not really," she said back in tones distorted by the beast spirit. "She was there, but I didn't see her fight."

"That they fought off Gigadramon must say something."

"I'm not disagreeing," Led said hastily. "I heard the reports from one of our spies about what happened in Primary Village too."

Lexi nodded. The energy necessary to channel into a Digisoul to trounce an adversary with a newly-evolved Digimon was nothing to scoff at. She hated to admit it, but even Lexi wasn't sure she could have pulled it off. And the girl had been a newly arrived tamer. "It was the power of a digisoul that sealed our master away," Lexi stated. "It is our hope that the same power can free him from his bonds, and awaken him once more."

"Then Arcwater wasn't a total loss for us after all," the memory seemed to anger Led, and she plowed headlong through a tall tree as she flew. Wood was no match for hardened armor, and splintered in a shower of wood and leaves.

"Yep," said Lexi. "We couldn't have anticipated that Excalibur would conscript a tamer with the power we need and drag them into our midst, but now that this girl is in the Eastern Province, we may have our chance. Our master's influence is greater here than anywhere else, and if we can block as many avenues of escape as possible, her power will be ours!" Lexi's face brightened.

"What makes you think you'll be able to get her to free V – Lord Vakner?"

Lexi gave a bitter laugh, one she knew came from the depths of caged little bird that was her heart, yearning for freedom yet hopelessly trapped. "My only concern is whether she's strong enough to cut his bonds, where the other tamers that have been found, even together, could not." She frowned, rankled by the memory of her failure. "Persuading her to try," she ran the fingers of a hand through her hair as it coursed in the wind. "Will be the easy part."

"Right," Led said dryly. "So once we've got the province's main routes blocked, we'll pursue her directly?" In the distance she spotted the smaller lake by which they knew the Zeppelin base rested. A feral growl emanated from Kaiser Leomon's throat, and it was with great reluctance that she set down on the riverbank rather than immediately attacking.

"That is Kera's order, yes," Lexi stated simply, and she stepped off Led's back. The twenty foot drop meant nothing to her, and the leather and metal clad tamer stood once more as she drew her weapon. She swung the weapon boldly out to her side. "Come," she commanded to Led, and the other tamer followed grudgingly. Lexi's slow stride was almost too slow for the Kaiser Leomon's much larger form, until the girl burst into a run. Her body was again aided by the enhancement Kera provided, and even approaching on foot, they would be there within moments… 

* * *

><p>Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

**Over the Seras**

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forests, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

"It's getting late," mused Kyoko, checking her D-Vector and finding it to be late afternoon. The remaining trio had remained camped near the riverbank, awaiting the return of Artemis. The Strabimon had not shown her lupine face since departing to search for Cyrus and Hang, who had disappeared in the chaotic aftermath of the battle of Arcwater.

She reclined against the rough-hewn trunk of a large tree, while Bolter snoozed in her lap and Jeanette sat next to her, likewise leaning against the tree. "Net-chan?" she asked, turning to look at the other girl, only to find her having joined Bolter in slumber.

A sad little sigh fluttered from Kyoko's lips. It wasn't the loneliness of the moment that plagued her. No, it was clearly something else. She popped open her D-Vector, and accessed the control that displayed the full, holographic keyboard. Resting the purple and orange device on one hip, she tapped at the keyboard and slowly input a journal entry.

_I know we all had to try at Arcwater. I didn't want Net-chan getting hurt, that's why I thought it was such a bad idea for us to fight… I, I care about her. She told me about her adoptive father, how horrible he was, about her Narcolepsy and everything. It hurts my heart to think about what she's gone through, she's such a nice girl. If only I knew for sure…_

The Lopmon stirred in her lap, and Kyoko hastily hit the button to archive the entry. Those personal words disappeared from the screen, and Kyoko set the device aside.

"Any sign of Princess cheer yet?" Bolter grunted, rolling over onto his back and letting his large brown ears flop against his partner's legs. His eyes at last popped open, as he looked into the upside-down face of his tamer.

"Nu-uh," Kyoko shook her head slightly, nibbling on a candy bar from her pack. "I'm getting kind of worried…"

"Yeah," Bolter sat upright, his little arms folded as he frowned in thought. "Thinking whatever got Cyrus and Hang got Arty too?"

"Hai," murmured Kyoko, rocking slightly in place and stealing another look at the serene expression on Jeanette's sleeping face. "I never know whether to wake her up or let her sleep," she murmured sadly, leaning closer. She reached up with the utmost care and removed Jeanette's glasses, before holding them up to her own face.

The glasses were slender and silver, the frames probably titanium and nigh-indestructible for normal wear and tear. Even looking through the lenses clearly skewed Kyoko's vision, and actually wearing them was a muddy mess tolerable for only a few seconds before they were removed again.

"Having fun?" Bolter smirked teasingly, breaking from his depth of thought. "If we go look for them, they may come back and not find us. If they are in trouble, one of us going to look isn't going to fair any better. If we sit on our tails, trouble might get worse."

Kyoko nodded before folding Jeanette's glasses and tucking one stem into the collar of her top. "Maybe we can leave them a trail of breadcrumbs, like the story Hansel and Grettle…"

"Horusmon and Grottomon?" Bolter tilted his head, a blank look on his face. "Never heard of that one…"

"No, silly," Kyoko poked Bolter square in his three-horned forehead. "Hansel and Grettle. They left breadcrumbs as they travelled into the forest so they could find their way back. It's a story my mother used to tell me before bed when she wasn't travelling."

"Leave them a trail so they can find us?" Bolter frowned. "And what if someone else picks it up?"

"We ask them politely to not eat or enslave us?" Kyoko said impatiently, standing up. "Anything's better than staying around here, just waiting. C'mon." She set Bolter down on the ground, and then leaned over and jiggled Jeanette. "Wake up," she urged quietly. "Jeanette?" A firmer shake, and the youth's head lolled to the side while she still slept on.

"Is she okay?" Bolter said sharply, waddling closer to the sleeping girl.

Kyoko leaned close. "She seems to be okay," she murmured with evident relief. "She must just be exhausted. Are there any towns nearby? Maybe we could rent a room."

"I'm not sure," Bolter scuttled up her back, plucking the D-Vector from where it was clipped at his tamer's waist. His small digits manipulated the controls, until a map of the region appeared on the screen. "Hmm, there's a town northwest of here. It's called Moonbrook."

"How far?"

"Maybe five miles – hey!" Kyoko plucked back her D-Vector, and promptly shrugged the Lopmon off her back. His ears opened like a parachute to break his fall. "What gives?" As he turned around, Kyoko had already knelt in front of Jeanette and was in the midst of lifting the blond onto her back. Draping Jeanette's arms over her shoulders, Kyoko wrapped her arms around Jeanette's legs and carefully stood.

"Sheesh," the Japanese youth muttered, swaying precariously. "And I thought you needed a diet, Bolt-kun." She took a steadying breath and stood as best she could with the weight of her friend and both packs. They wouldn't get very far very fast, but Kyoko quietly vowed to press on.

* * *

><p><strong>East side of the Seras River, NorthernEastern Province Border, Kingdom of Chronus**

Jeanette stirred faintly, her mind reconnecting to a body still inert. Three senses flooded her mind, the smells of sharp pine and mellow wood, the faint sounds of rushing water, and steady footsteps that seemed to match the way she felt her body sway.

Her arms tensed slightly, and she felt someone warm and close. Her mind continued to lumber slowly toward full wakefulness, and she finally cracked an eye open. The blue iris and its black pupil settled first upon the sky streaked with the dark blues, purples, and blacks of twilight, and then drifted downward. Much closer was a bleary and indistinct pattern of browns and greens, and then closer still was a clearer and more familiar sheet of auburn.

"Kyoko?" she murmured, her other eye flickering open as well.

"I'm here," came that familiar voice. "You okay, sleepyhead?"

"Mm-hm," she stirred further, picking her head up. Blinking several times and squinting did little to clear the blurriness of her vision. Her glasses were missing. "Where are we?"

"Walking to a town," Kyoko explained in strained tones, while panting heavily. The swaying stopped as Kyoko did. "Can you walk, Net-chan?"

"Yes," Jeanette felt Kyoko's arms slacken, and she carefully slid from the back of the taller teen. Her sneakers touched solid ground, and she stepped carefully away.

"Woo, that was tiring," Kyoko said, puffing for a minute and then retrieving Jeanette's glasses for her. "Here you go," she said, unfolding them and slipping them back onto their owner's face. "Better?"

The world slid back into focus, and Jeanette smiled, an expression that was soon mirrored back at her. "Where are Cyrus and 'ang? And what about Artemis?"

"Oh, don't mind me," muttered Bolter from near both girls' ankles. "I'm just chopped liver. You can eat me later if you're hungry."

"We don't know what happened to them," Kyoko rested her hands on her hips. "Artemis hasn't come back yet." She turned around, glancing up the dirt road and along the sturdy wooden bridge. It ran over a river her D-Vector's map identified as the Seras. That meant that Moonbrook wasn't that much farther now. "I wanted to get us to a town where we could rest and eat."

"Oh, that sounds good," Jeanette nudged her glasses up, rubbing sleep from her eye. "But why didn't you wake me up?"

"I tried," Kyoko said sheepishly. "I figured you were exhausted after the battle last night when I couldn't, so I carried you instead." Finally seeming to catch her breath, she straightened up and let her arms fall to her sides. "Man, I'm beat."

"Have Jeanette carry you," Bolter replied as the group slowly moved on. "It's only fair." Jeanette's stunned look was the foil of Kyoko's blooming grin.

"He's right, Net-chan," Kyoko said teasingly, edging closer to Jeanette as they started across the bridge. She held the grin as Jeanette flushed scarlet and mumbled out acquiesce, before it finally cracked and she burst out laughing. Bolter joined in, and Jeanette's flush deepened.

"We're just kidding, Jeanette," Kyoko leaned a little as their feet formed a steady rhythm on the bridge's planks. "Lighten up. You could cook an egg on your face right now." As they walked, Bolter abandoned his position on the ground between the two girls and instead clambered up Jeanette's back until he reached her shoulders.

Jeanette paused and looked out onto the river flowing swiftly below them between its two rocky walls, listening to the serene hiss of the water's constant flow. "Um," she said quietly, her timid voice nearly lost in the river's surge. "Kyoko?"

"Nani-sorry, what?" Kyoko said, turning her head to look at Jeanette.

"Thanks," she seemed to get even quieter, and her pale cheeks flushed a little again. She managed a small smile and bowed slightly at the waist.

"You're welcome," Kyoko replied kindly, grinning. "Call me Kyo-chan, mkay?"

Jeanette turned from the river, following Kyoko toward the other side of the bridge. "Kyo-chan?"

"Mm-hm. It's Japanese. I'll explain."

* * *

><p><strong>Town of Moonbrook, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Jeanette stifled a yawn behind one hand as she pushed the door to the inn open. She stepped inside with Kyoko on her heels, the brunette rubbing her arms due to the evening chill. The entry room took the form of a tavern, occupied by a fair crowd at the hour, warmed by the roaring fireplace set on the far side of a spacious room dotted by tables.

Bolter craned his neck, muttering to himself in apparent distaste of his current carrier. No doubt he was missing Kyoko's extra height and her absence of long hair. "Well, at least we can get a room for the night here. This place isn't large enough to have apartments for –"

"Artemis!" Jeanette bolted across the room, reaching a corner with a very familiar green-eyed Strabimon.

"Jeanette," the child-level Digimon answered in the same familiar, level voice. The Strabimon rose from where she was seated at a table in the corner. "I am glad to see you are well." She moved gingerly, apparently recovering from her prior injuries.

Jeanette bent down slightly, hugging her shorter partner. The Strabimon briefly started, but it seemed Jeanette hadn't intended to hold it for long as she broke away. Turning around, Kyoko had caught up to her.

"Where are Cyrus and Hang?" Kyoko asked, while prying Bolter from Jeanette's back before transferring him to her own.

"Captured by a pair of bandits," Artemis explained coolly, fixing her eyes on Jeanette. "I attempted to pursue them, but was injured and lost them."

"Injured?" Jeanette said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I am," the Strabimon inclined her head.

"So," said a voice as someone with silver hair and clad in a dark coat rose from the same table Artemis had been sitting at. "You're her partner?" The young man fixed his eyes, also silver, on Jeanette.

"Um, yes?"

A floating, gear-like Digimon floated up beside the boy. Jeanette's D-Vector chimed, and it identified the creature as Hagururmon.

"Howdy," said a warmer, male voice as another tamer rose from the table. "These here are Zander and Koro," he nodded to each. "Our other friends, Katsumura and Arcsinh, are upstairs. And I'm Colin, Colin Summers," he touched his brow as though tipping a hat he did not wear to Kyoko and Jeanette. "If you're looking for rooms for the night, this place has plenty."

"Friends?" Zander echoed skeptically, turning to look at Colin with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know about you, but my friends will at least talk to me."

Kyoko completed the round of introductions for the rest of their group, while Bolter ambled off to take care of the room arrangements. "Is there any way we can track where they've taken Cyrus and Hang?" she asked, looking at Artemis. The Strabimon's silence was enough of an answer.

"Uh, excuse me," Colin said. "I don't know where they've taken you friends either, but I've heard about a bandit base that's supposed to be in this area. If anyone knows where it is, it would be Katsumura."

"Where is –" Jeanette began, but Kyoko silenced her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you," Kyoko said. "It'll have to wait until morning. We all need to rest." Jeanette opened her mouth to object, but Kyoko fixed her with an eye. "That way we'll be ready for whatever happens once we go looking."

Sensing defeat, Jeanette sighed. "Okay. How about dinner? We've barely 'ad a chance to eat."

"Well then," said Colin, gathering a few empty chairs from nearby tables and adding them to the one they had already been seated at. "Come on and take a load off. I'm sure we can find something on the menu for you young ladies." He helped both girls into their seats before he and Zander in turn sat down again themselves.

The food was good, the air cozy, the company pleasant as the seven lounged around the table, talking, eating, laughing, chatting, and joking as the wall-mounted Clockmon statue clock steadily chimed the hours away...

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	15. Chapter 15

**Dragging the Net**

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forests, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

The two dark warriors did little to hide their approach as they neared the large clearing in which the Goblimon had set up shop. They were part of a group that ran their airships all across the Kingdom, moving personnel and cargo without particular preference as long as the right amount of money changed hands. And they had to be destroyed for it, lest the quarry Led and Lexi sought escape aboard one of their zeppelins.

The fact stabbed a spike of bitterness in Lexi's heart, another nail in her coffin of resentment for what she was made to do. The deaths were only a means to an end, an end that Lexi knew would inflict equal or greater pain on another. _But maybe I'll get to see him again…_ She mused, while her legs pumped out an impressive rate to close the distance.

Led, in her Beast Spirit form of Kaiser Leomon, plowed through the woods along behind her, caring little for the disturbance her armored form caused in the forest as leaves whirled about and trees were broken into toothpicks and splinters. "Let's get 'em," she growled. "Go in there guns blazing and take them out."

Lexi sighed and rolled her eyes at her comrade's exceedingly direct approach, but she had to admit subterfuge would serve little point here. At last they rounded a rocky hill, and the clearing came into view. A cluster of primitive dwellings dotted the far end, and between them were three zeppelins. Thick ropes bound the cylindrical bladders of warm air to the ground while the cabins hung below, being loaded and unloaded as necessary by the squat green creatures milling about the docks.

The Goblimon did most of the grunt work, while a few of their larger cousins were scattered around the perimeter as guards. Their muscles and clubs may have been larger, but as tones of crude jokes and drunken belly laughs reached the female duo, it seemed apparent the Ogremons' brains had paid the price.

"Remain here," Lexi said, looking up at Led and continuing to speak over her look of outrage. "Give me thirty seconds to get closer, and then open fire. Understood?" Led growled, but didn't answer. "_Understood?_" Lexi repeated, injecting as much venom into the question as she could.

She then turned and ran, figuring Led would know better than to actively disobey her. Another perk of her dark bondage was being only a few rungs from the top of the ladder. The Naginata swung out to her side as she hugged the treeline, counting the seconds until Led opened fire as she drew closer.

The distance closed, and there was a sudden burst of noise and a flash of light. "Black Thunder!" Lexi also heard the faint roar of Kaiser Leomon's machine guns, raking the camp with an inaccurate barrage that nonetheless drew their attention as the black and gold armored lion barreled toward the encampment.

Cries of alarm went up through the encampment as one of the huts was blasted apart, and two of the Ogremon lumbered off to engage the disturbance. Lexi strode casually up toward the zeppelins, with most of the guards running to engage the obvious threat, and the Goblimon split between fighting fires and running for cover.

Lexi had already walked up the rickety wooden dock platform and had reached the nearest blimp before a Goblimon finally noticed her. "What the?" he grunted stupidly, but then his face contorted as a simple circuit in his brain closed. "Gobli – " He swung his club, but suddenly found it shorn down to the handle.

"Out of my way," Lexi hissed, steadying her Naginata as the remainder of the club clattered to the ground. But her attempt at mercy earned an icy punch in the gut, and in an oppressive moment, Lexi knew exactly what she was to do to relieve the pressure. The bladed weapon cleaved through the air again, leaving nothing but a cloud of scattering data particles in its wake. The pain still lingered as a reminder, and Lexi set her sights on completing the mission.

A hand swung dramatically through the air, and her fingers spread wide. "Darkness Wave!" she cried. With a variety of chittering, flapping, and squawking noises, a wave of vampiric bats materialized at her call and swarmed over the zeppelin. What they lacked in size or strength they made up for in numbers and tenacity, laying into the blimp like a thousand tiny buzzsaws.

The gas bag was the first to go, hissing loudly and sagging as it was breached in a dozen places while more night raiders tore into the cabin below. _One down, two to go_ Lexi thought. They would also need to destroy the rest of the facility as well, to ensure other zeppelins couldn't still dock.

"Bone Rod!" A chill flickered through Lexi as she heard the bellow, and rather than wasting time to look, she flipped aside. Her hands launched her up again off the dock, and she landed minus her Naginata as an Ogremon's bone cudgel cleaved into the dock.

The beast gapped at her, and then tried to jerk its club out, only to find the weapon stuck. No doubt it thought it would have a few spare moments as Lexi would have to retrieve her weapon. He was mistaken. "Darkness Spear!" Lexi cried, feeling the hideous feeling as her arm twisted and elongated until it was a pointed black lance. With a push she drove it home, striking Ogremon square in his core. A quick death was a meager mercy, but it was all she could do at this point.

She jerked the arm out of his fading form and suppressed a shudder as it returned to normal. Looking up, she saw her night raiders had destroyed the first blimp. A quick check showed the Led was currently tearing her way through the resistance sent to stop her, and so Lexi focused on completing their mission.

"Darkness Wave!" The power of her captor expressed itself through Lexi's body, and another wave of night raiders besieged the next blimp in line. It broke and fell like the other, catching flame and spreading the destructive radiance around the dock.

Lexi strode toward the final blimp, her retrieved Naginata cleaving through several Goblimon that either got too close or tried to stop her. Before she could reach her last main target, it suddenly exploded in a large fireball. She ducked back, shielding herself with a forearm and glancing sideways.

Led had dispensed with her spirit form altogether, and now wielded her large gun in both hands. Her hands were steady on the grips, and the stock of the bulky weapon was braced against her slender shoulder. As she squeezed the trigger, a trio of yellow energy bursts leapt from the barrel, striking the already-burning remains of the last zeppelin.

Even from this distance, Lexi could hear the girl's cackling laughter and easily imagined a deranged grin upon her face. For her own safety at this point it was best to withdraw and let Led finish blasting the facility to bits.

Leaping down from the dock, she ran through the night even as the growing fires licked at her heels. The destruction would no doubt be visible for miles, and it wasn't completely impossible for the Excalibur to scramble a squad to stop them.

As Lexi neared Led's position, the girl was still strafing the camp. The smart few had already fled, and anything left was being blown apart by increasingly-large charges from Led's gun. But Lexi heard a chirp from her D-Vector, and felt a chill in her gut she knew had nothing to do with Kera's meddling. "Yes?" Lexi said, keying the device.

"One of our spies has located your target," said the familiar voice of Lady Erya. "In the town of Moonbrook, just over the border between Provinces. She's staying at the inn."

Lexi mentally cursed, but the discontent was surrounded by gleaming, icy glee. So her target had escaped their attempt to blockade her in. That was some quick travelling considering the battle at Arcwater had concluded only that morning, but now Lexi had a solid fix. Her prey would not outrun her now. Her eyes gleam red. "We will go and capture her. Tashimi, out." She lowered the d-ban and took a deep, steadying breath.

"Hey, hotshot," she said, jogging over to Led. "I've got a fix on my target. Finish here," she jerked her head toward the blaze that was the encampment, while speaking over the racket of repeated discharges. "And await further orders."

Led groaned and rolled her eyes, the barrel of her weapon dipping slightly as her face took on the pout of a spoiled preteen girl. "Why do you get to have all the fun?" She gave a dramatic sigh, and then resumed firing. A Goblimon trying to make a run for it was obliterated by her first shot. Murder and bloodshed. Nice coping mechanism.

It was Lexi's turn to roll her eyes, but she didn't indulge Led any further. Instead she slung the Naginata onto her back, and shot into the sky like a cork from champagne before disappearing into the night sky.

* * *

><p><strong>Town of Moonbrook, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Lexi strode casually through the unmoving night, with Digimon and Human alike asleep at this late hour. The steady sound of her boots in the dirt and the faint clinking of her chainmail were the only real signs of activity, with the streets nearly bereft of even the wind. Not even the taverns showed much activity now.

The itch of horrible anticipation welled within her as the inn loomed over her, and Lexi scanned the building. Though dimly lit by human standards, her body's senses also benefited somewhat from Kera's presence. Lifting from the ground with the light grace of a feather, she levitated up and peered in through the second floor windows in search of her quarry.

Her nose wrinkled at the sight of the vigorous shadows in the first room, and so she steadily floated sideways, completely oblivious to what a spectacle she was to anyone who might have been watching. The next room was still lit by a lamp on the desk, where a figure sat hunched over some article of interest and was oblivious to their observer. The occupants of the third room were already fast asleep, and though she felt a faint stirring in her chest, Lexi grew impatient with her search.

It was at the fourth window that the stirring creature awoke. An intense wave of feelings washed over Lexi like the tides, hunger, thirst, desire, and more. Her lips pulled back, revealing that her eyeteeth had elongated into pointed fangs. Her eyes pulsed read and Lexi licked her lips, before taking a deep breath to steady herself. It wouldn't do to become distracted now, not by herself or by Kera.

She could sense the target just beyond the pane of glass, the faint corona of a Digisoul even when it was inactive. That she could sense it at all was of note, that the tamer had, by reports, arrived in the Digital World mere days ago, was all the explanation necessary for why several of the dark army's most valuable agents had been tasked with her capture. It was weeks stretching into months since Lexi had entered the Digital World herself, and this other girl was nearly her equal in raw power.

Lexi raised her D-Vector, pressing several buttons and allowing it to scan the emanations even though she already knew there was no mistaking them. She drifted closer while she waited, gazing upon this tamer that could supposedly solve all their problems. Frowning as she looked upon the other girl's sleeping form, Lexi thought she didn't look like much. She was blond, had glasses on the bedside table, and was not particularly tall or athletic. Then again, a few had misjudged her as such, and gotten a Darkness Spear for their trouble.

"Sticky Net!" Lexi mentally cursed her inattention on her surroundings from focusing on the target, and barely had time to twist aside in the air to avoid being enveloped in a sticky, spreading web of a resilient silk-like substance. As it was the attack still clipped her, succeeding in wrapping around her left arm and pinning it to the side of the building.

Lexi gave a ragged hiss, a feral look sharpening her purple eyes as she set them on her attacker. A Wormmon scuttled sideways toward her on the wall, his face set. "It's you again," the Wormmon said, splitting his mouthparts open to attack.

"Darkness Spear!" the trapped arm suddenly turned back into the sharp weapon, which Lexi promptly tore free of the webbing. Another spray had already been discharged in her direction, but Lexi then exhaled a cloud of vile violet vapor. It billowed out, dissolving the webbing on contact and continuing toward the Wormmon.

The Wormmon let go the wall and dropped, but caught himself with strand of silk just before he hit the ground. "Arcsinh?" barked a female voice, as a spiky-haired head stuck out of an opened window. "Bloody hell," grunted Katsumura, grabbing for her D-Vector. "I don't know _what_ you are," she fixed her mismatched eyes on Lexi, an odd uncertainty in them. "But I doubt it's natural."

Lexi's eyes flickered. _Not natural? Don't tell me this girl knows._ but she glanced at her arm, still twisted and elongated into the black lance below the elbow. Probably a bit of a giveaway. She reacted with similar alarm and disbelief the first time Kera's powers had manifested through her body for such a display.

She felt a sudden shudder in her body as it was suddenly wreathed in pink light. Her body suddenly felt heavier, wavering where it hung in midair as a breath seemed to abruptly leave her lungs. Looking up, she saw dark purple light flaring from the interloping human's hand.

Lexi's bared her teeth, vaguely fanglike once again. "Don't play games with me, little girl! Darkness wave!" She leveled a hand, and a screeching wave of ravenous bats heeded her call and rose to harass the girl.

"Leave her be! Random roll!" Arcsinh cut his thread and curled into a ball as he dropped toward the ground, before shooting up at Lexi like a professional fastball. He slammed into the girl's abdomen, her armor only partially ablating the force of impact.

"Binta!" Lexi cried, slamming an open-handed strike hard into the Wormmon. It sent the still-furled Digimon flying, but the shape helped him bounce on impact with the ground and lessen the blow. She looked up to see that Katsumura was sufficiently occupied. She'd shut her window again and was taking a thick book to the few Night Raiders that had gotten inside.

Unfortunately, the lights in her target room had come on. Two tamers plus two Digimon added to the fight. That was more than Lexi felt like dealing with, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Others would come to see what the ruckus was about, and she would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Muttering a string of obscenities, she realized this was not her moment. She would have to retreat to a safe distance and wait for another opening.

"Darkness Wave!" she pirouette in midair, a massive cloud of bats emerging from her hand. They swarmed about, obscuring their mistress's form and buffeting any source of light or sound as she made her hasty escape.

It was only when the town was left behind, a deck of cards amid the forests, grasslands, and mountains below that Lexi slowed from her breakneck ascent. She sucked in a breath of frigid air, feeling the bite along her throat and lungs before she slowly let out a misty breath. That had been a close call. As if to drive the point home, the phantasmal Lady Devimon appeared again.

"That was most unwise," hissed Kera, catching Lexi in her bloody gaze. Knowing it was an illusion didn't lessen its intensity, and it was hard for her not to flinch. "You have failed. Now they will be on their guard, and next time will be harder. They have already escaped the attempts to cordon them in the Eastern province –"

"Shut up," said Lexi rubbing her temple while one eye squeezed shut. Despite the pain, her tone remained strong and commanding. "We have them under our noses now. Sooner or later their guard will lapse, and I will strike. Then you can have your rotten new host."

"Ahhh," Kera said silkily, drifting closer. "What makes you think you will be allowed to go free even after I have moved on to, ah, _more useful accommodations_?"

Lexi gritted her teeth and tried not to think about it too much, it was the only way she was ever able to shield her thoughts or emotions from Kera – to hide them under something else that was stronger or more noticeable. "I'll call Led McNeil. She will assist… us."

"Indeed," breathed Kera, floating in a lazy circle around Lexi. "There is something else on your mind, is there not?"

"There is," said Lexi, pursing her lips in curious thought. "That girl, the one with the crazy hair and Wormmon."

"Yes," murmured Kera. "Ordinarily I might lay blame with your ineptitude at stealth and subterfuge," she smirked nastily. "Yet she could not have noticed us in the shadows…"

"Then how did she know I was there?" Lexi crossed her arms in ire. "And she seemed like she knew I was more than human inside…"

The projection of Kera turned away and was long in answering. "It was before my time," she began at last. "But there were legends of humans during the First War with similar capabilities, the ability to sense imminent ambush, or to communicate with their partner with a thought."

"Great," Lexi said dryly, fingering the cool hilt of her Naginata. "Is there _anything else_ I should know about? Perhaps any beast spirits the girl I'm supposed to capture might have? Or will she be able to snap our collective necks at a thought?" The remark earned her a slap on the face from the project of Kera, and Lexi could've sworn it felt real as she recoiled and put a hand to the stinging flesh.

"The other girl was a complication," said Kera. "Finish your mission without any more, and I may just yet grant your freedom."

* * *

><p>Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan<p>

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	16. Chapter 16

**Into Aneda**

* * *

><p><strong>Town of Moonbrook, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus <strong>

The morning sun had risen without further incident in the town. Though Jeanette wanted to hope that the light of day would keep whatever dark intruder had appeared outside their window the night before at bay, she wasn't convinced that was the end of it.

"You look terrible," Jeanette was still rubbing sleep from one of her eyes as she teetered down the steps. A single blue eye flickered behind her glasses, looking over at Kyoko before its twin opened as well.

"Good morning," The blonde mumbled, though as she sank into a chair still wearing her pajamas, the words were said with little conviction and much exhaustion. Kyoko edged forward in her seat, looking concerned. "I couldn't sleep…"

"After that peeping Tabby?" Kyoko asked, taking a drink of orange juice, before pouring another glass and sliding it carefully across the table to Jeanette. "You'll probably feel better with some breakfast in you."

Jeanette accepted the glass gratefully, draining it in a few gulps and feeling herself drawn a little more into the land of the waking. It all felt like so much to process, and when her body didn't doze of its own volition, her wheels spun in top gear. "Do you think zhey will come again? Ze dark army?"

"It _is_ weird," Kyoko admitted, tapping a sandaled foot as she thought. "That they'd keep coming after us. I mean, I thought there were enough tamers they'd leave us alone and go for someone else." Her heterochromatic gaze flickered to Jeanette, and she changed her tune. "But we'll be okay… you'll be okay. I-I'll protect you."

Jeanette smiled, pushing her glasses a little higher on her nose. "Thank you," she murmured.

"Okay," Kyoko said brightly, clapping her hands together lightly. "Now, breakfast. You need to eat lots. Waiter!" she called.

While Kyoko was busy ordering what seemed like half the menu for Jeanette, the blond spotted Katsumura coming downstairs. The girl's heavily gelled hair seemed to naturally repel bedhead, although Jeanette assumed the gel still had to periodically be redone and touched up. She looked quite disgruntled herself, and Jeanette felt no small amount of trepidation as she beckoned her over. "Excuse me," she called.

"Eh?" Katsumura looked up before trotting over, already apparently fully dressed for the morning. Arcsinh was in his usual perch, keeping an eye out from the girl's shoulder. "What?" she asked, leaning on the back of a vacant chair and looking down at Jeanette. "Oh, right… that bandit base. Yeah, Colin was asking about it," she looked distinctly miffed.

She dug through her handbag and pulled out a rolled paper. Dropping the heavily-laden bag on the table with a thud, she then smoothed the paper out. It was a map of the local area, picked up from a shop by all appearances, but covered with all sorts of notes in black ink and scribbled in a tiny and cramped style. "We're here," she said, pointing to the town on the map. The river that divided the provinces lay to the southeast and east. She traced a finger along the road, over the bridge, and back to the Eastern Province. "The bandit base, if the rumors are true, is here," her finger settled on a forested patch nestled against the base of a low, squat mountain. She smirked. "It's amazing isn't it, the dumb things people, and even Digimon, can do under the influence of alcohol, isn't it? All I had to do was overhear a Guardromon talking about it in a pub at the edge of town."

"Interesting," said a steady voice at Jeanette's side, as Artemis made her presence known. How long she'd been standing there was hard to say, with the Strabimon's motions making hardly a sound. "That they would have fled across the river, only to need to double back."

"It makes sense," Jeanette said, suddenly feeling the eyes of both on her. "I mean, they wouldn't want to lead you to it, would they?"

Katsumura nodded, her lips twitching it what might have been the beginnings of a smile. She ran a hand across the side of her face as though to clear the hair from it, even though it was all still held out of the way. "My thoughts as well."

"I wish you luck in rescuing your friend," Arcsinh said. "Those bandits are a rough bunch. They say the Black Megalo Growmon who leads them once murdered thirteen Digimon with one swipe of a blade!"

"And I'm the Queen," Katsumura said with a snort.

"Do not be so quick to underestimate the power of our kind," Artemis said in cold tones, although it was hard to tell whether it was intended to be any moreso than usual.

"I'm not underestimating anything," Katsumura shot back coolly. "I'm skeptical until I see it with my own eyes."

"Yet you trust the words of an inebriated Digimon."

"And you trust the words of a total stranger," Katsumura gave a satisfied smirk. "For all you know, I'm in league with the bandits and sending you into a trap."

"Except if you were going to do that," Arcsinh interrupted. "You probably wouldn't be thinking about tagging along, would you?"

Katsumura shot him a sharp look, but Jeanette spoke before she could deny it. "You were going to come with us?"

The younger girl gave a huff. "I'd thought about it," she said stiffly. "Though I wouldn't mind running into that girl that showed up here last night again either…"

"What?" Jeanette and Kyoko chorused.

Katsumura's teeth clenched as if she regretted bringing it up. "I've never seen anything like it," she admitted, but each word came out at a serious effort as though they were an offense of some kind. "She looked human, but as Arcsinh can attest, she fought like a Digimon."

"Perhaps it is a sort of opposite of what Colin does?" said Arcsinh. "Instead of a human becoming a Digimon in all ways except in mind, she is able to do the opposite, and employ a Digimon's attacks from a human body?"

"Who was she after?" asked Kyoko, spinning a fork in her fingers. "I mean, we fought at Arcwater, but the Dark Army has been chasing us almost ever since. _Why_?"

Katsumura closed her eyes and folded her arms, appearing to be deep in thought. Artemis however, snorted. "She has no idea," said the lupine warrior.

"I mean, we know the dark army wants tamers," said Kyoko, spinning the fork even faster. "But why _us_? Are they that mad we tried to fight them?"

Jeanette swallowed. "Are we sure who she was working for?"

"Attacking in the dead of night, flinging bats around," Katsumura tallied off on her fingers. "Cliché, but those form for a reason."

"And the reason!" Bolter interrupted, finally having come downstairs after his fourth "five more minutes" of sleep, "Is there are too many uneaten hotcakes!" He heaved himself up onto an empty chair as the Renamon waitress came over, the golden fox straining to keep the heavy platter piled with plates balanced. Spread across half a dozen plates was a feast of pancakes, hills of eggs, piles of hashbrowns, and stacks of bacon and sausage.

"Sheesh, how many did you order for?" The Lopmon asked, casting a knowing look at his tamer. Kyoko flushed and scratched the back of her head, as disconnected words of excuse tumbled out.

As the waitress spread the food across the table, Jeanette clapped her hands together. "Everyone, let's eat!" She grinned, and despite her disheveled appearance, ate happily with the rest of the group as everyone took a seat at the table and dug in to breakfast.

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forests, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus <strong>

"Katsumura," said Arcsinh, the Wormmon in the same place as ever.

"No," said his eccentric tamer, her arms folded across her chest. The arms of her hoodie were tied around her waist, with the warmer morning air of the less northern region bathing the travelers.

"C'mon, Katsumura…"

"What are you two goin' on about over there?" asked Bolter, twisting from where he was on Kyoko's back, using his ears in his best scarf imitation.

"Nothing," Katsumura said sharply, shooting Bolter a look.

"Riiigghhht," Bolter drew the word out, rolling his black eyes as he settled against the back of his tamer's head. Jeannette, Artemis, Bolter, Kyoko, Katsumura and Arcsinh all trudged along the path together, but the last two marched so far ahead it could have almost been coincidence the six were together.

"I think I ate too much," murmured Jeanette, walking side by side with Kyoko. She unzipped her jacket, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it cascaded through the canopy. She had changed into her only pair of blue jeans in case things got messy, with Kyoko's assurances that when they returned to Fraeno, they could settle and unwind for awhile.

"Nonsense," Kyoko said, as warm and perky as the sun above them. "Growing girls need their nourishment."

"Just don't go growin' the wrong way," Bolter teased, earning a painful pinch from his tamer. "Ow! Hey, cut it out! I was joking."

"Where are Colin and Zander?" asked Jeanette, looking back along the trail and seeing no one following them.

"Oh," said Kyoko. "Zander said there was something in the area he wanted to check out, Colin went with him. I dunno where they are… I guess we're going in by ourselves."

Artemis's ears flicked sharply as they walked, alert for the rustle of a leaf or the snap of a twig that might signal enemy attack. However, she seemed to sense no threat, as she instead increased her pace until she closed the gap between herself and Katsumura.

Her approach seemed to go unnoticed, as she soon overheard a furious but whispered argument between the Arcsinh and Katsumura.

"If you're following them, you should _help_."  
>"They're following <em>me<em> right now, remember?"  
>Arcsinh sighed. "Whoever is in front, we know the only reason you're going to the base is because they are. If that digital girl shows up again, we'll need their help, and they'll need advanced notice."<br>"Awfully rude," snapped Katsumura, stopping dead and turning to face Artemis, who had been following quietly. "To eavesdrop, you know."

"What do you mean by advanced notice?" Artemis said, eyes narrowing as she gave an undaunted stare. "Explain yourself, or I will consider you a probable threat to my tamer's safety."

"Artemis, no!" Jeanette said, running forward, but the wolfish soldier pushed her backward. "_Explain_," she repeated imperiously.

Arcsinh reared like a cobra, hissing faintly as his beak opened, ready to attack, but Katsumura merely shrugged. "Fine," she said lightly, closing her eyes for a moment. "If you want to know, I'll tell you. I'm a seer of sorts. I've had a sixth sense since I came to the Digital World, a bit telepathic, if you will. That girl that attacked the inn last night, was no mere girl. I sensed something else about her."

"What?" asked Bolter, but Katsumura merely shook her head.

"I've never seen anything like it, but it may explain why she was able to use the attacks of," she consulted her D-Vector's screen. "Lady Devimon, yes."

"We'll have to be on guard," Kyoko said, her arms crossed and a sneakered foot tapping in anxious thought. "Once we rescue Cyrus-kun and Hang-chan," she chewed her lip. "We can do something about the Dark Army. Cyrus-kun knows the Excalibur, maybe they can help us."

"Agreed," said Artemis. She cocked her head, fixing Katsumura with a stern emerald eye. "If you detect that tamer again, report it immediately."

"Yes ma'am," Katsumura replied with a biting, sour tone. The conversation ended, and the group marched onward in silence. The path forked multiple times, growing cruder and more overgrown with every fork until…

There was a flurry of motion in a nearby bush as the trail drifted closer to the mountainside. "Baby Sling!" shrieked a voice, and a rock came pelting out of the underbrush. It shot straight at Jeanette, causing Kyoko to cry out and tug the tamer aside. She need not have bothered however, as Artemis was there. With liquid grace the warrior stepped forward, interposing herself between the projectile and its target.

Silver flashed from her nails, and with a swipe of her hand, the rock shattered into dust. The spray harmlessly pelted the Strabimon, and a squeak of alarm came from the bushes. "I'm not getting paid enough for this!" cried a voice, as something broke into a run away from the group.

"Stop him!" yelled Kyoko, but it was Arcsinh who reacted first.

"Silk thread!" Cracking his mouth open, the Wormmon shot a cable of silk into the foliage, fishing for their reluctant assailant, but coming up empty.

"Anyone 'ave a driver?" Jeanette wondered, before nodding her thanks to Kyoko. The brunette grinned, and then exclaimed "Whoa!" as Artemis took a running leap after the fleeing Digimon. There was much commotion in the foliage as leaves shook, all the while squeaks, grunts, and thumps sounded.

After a few seconds of silence, Artemis emerged back out of the trees and onto the narrow dirt path, battered but with her prize in hand. "Let me go, let me go!" squawked a small, clearly simian Digimon. His body was covered in green and tan fur, his torso draped in a leopard skin toga. Checking her D-Vector, Jeanette identified the Digimon as Koemon, a child level of the virus attribute.

"I will let you go once you have answered my questions," Artemis said, holding the squirming Koemon at arm's length, so that his pawing and clawing were largely ineffectual. "Now," she tightened her grip on his throat. "Where is the entrance to the bandit base?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," snapped the Koemon, still struggling however fruitlessly.

Artemis slammed the Koemon into a tree and gave him a firm shake. "Answer me," she commanded. "Or I will find it myself after I dispatch you." Her hand around his neck tightened, and the other clawed hand rose, its nails glimmering with menacing silver light. Several members of the team winced at the Strabimon's harsh methods, but she seemed quite undaunted.

"Just through the trees there, it's inside a cave," said the Koemon, wincing in pain and giving up his squirming. "Now let me go!"

"I'm not finished with you," said Artemis sharply. "Your gang captured a male human and a female Digimon yesterday. Where are they?"

"Lowest level," the Koemon said hoarsely. "In the stockade."

"Thank you," Artemis said, and then she struck. Her claws perforated Koemon's throat, and the simian collapsed in a gurgling heap. Then he was gone, his data breaking down and drifting skyward like any fallen Digimon.

Kyoko gasped in shock. Bolter gave a surprised growl. But Jeanette was beside herself. "Artemis!" she yelled, stalking forward. Her features, normally so spacey and kind, took the likeness of an angry feline. "What was that! 'E was unarmed and told you everything you asked!" She stopped inches away, her size diminutive to most but not so much so to the smaller Strabimon. "And you-you-you!"

Artemis tilted her head, looking faintly confused. "He was a sentry. Had I let him live, the bandits may have been alerted to our presence. With his passing however, the element of surprise remains intact, and the odds of our rescue being successful remain high.

"'ow can you –" Jeanette began, but Kyoko placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Now's not the time, Net-chan," the brunette murmured. "I don't like it either, but nothing's going to change it right now. Let's go, ne?"

"Fine," said Jeanette, her head hanging slightly. She didn't like the situation at all, but Kyoko was right. "Let's go!"

For her part, Katsumura merely gave a slight smile, her mismatched eyes tailing Artemis with mischievous amusement. The group moved on however, and soon the six stood before a rocky outcropping. The jagged maw of the cave looked almost like the teeth of a hungry beast, with only blackness in its throat.

Katsumura fished a flashlight out of her handbag, and with a click, a shaft of light pierced the black veil. Jeanette squinted inside. "It looks like zhere is a door of some kind," she said. "Can we -?"

But Artemis was already brushing past her, striding boldly. She broke into a full run, even as her green eyes adapted to the gloom and spotted the reinforced wooden door a few meters inside the entrance. "Light LEG!" she cried, launching herself into the air. Her booted foot flashed silver as it lanced out, striking the surface hard. There was a loud crack, and though the door held together, it definitely gave somewhat.

Pushing off, Artemis nimbly backflipped and landed. Then she lashed out again, a slender fist hammering into the spot where the wood had cracked. Splinters shot out and the door shuddered again, and it was followed up by a combination of blows that ended with the door breaking apart and crashing to the ground.

"Someone's eager…" Bolter said, his eyes wide.

"The sooner we finish, the sooner we leave," Artemis said simply, coolly straightening up as though her burst of exertion hadn't happened. "Now come, all of you."

* * *

><p>Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption<p>

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	17. Chapter 17

**Belly of the Beast**

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Bandit Base, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Flickering torches lit the tunnels of the bandit base as Jeanette, Artemis, Kyoko, Bolter, Katsumura and Arcsinh pushed deeper underground. Some of the roughly-hewn tunnels seemed to exist naturally in the rock, while others bore the many scratches of tools and were given additional support, but all were large enough to accommodate the average-sized adult Digimon. Some other passages seemed deliberately blocked.

"It's no wonder no one's ever been able to find these guys," Katsumura muttered, seemingly speaking to herself. "The can search by air, land, and water and never find this base, unless they stumbled straight on to it."

Kyoko turned away from the shorter brunette, her mismatched eyes instead focused on the blonde walking beside her in the tunnels. "Doing okay, Net-chan?"

"Y-y-yes," Jeanette said, her mouth stretched wide by the yawn that rather seemed to betray its lie. It was always easiest to doze off when she was at rest, reading, listening to music and the like, but even being on the move didn't always keep her mind off her narcolepsy, not when the feet that had felt lively when leaving the village now dragged with fatigue, and her body wanted to stop, even though she knew the moment she tried to rest she'd doze. But she couldn't rest now, they had to finish here first, and rescue Cyrus and Hang.

A bit of guilt bubbled up from her stomach, and she remembered her screaming tirade at the boy when they'd first met. He'd tried to warn them to get out of town, and she'd just brushed him off for his mysterious behavior. _Because I said so_, _Just trust me_, Jeanette hated those tired phrases, her father's favorite ways of prodding her along to do things she didn't like. But that wasn't Cyrus's fault.

"What's going on?" Bolter's sharp voice jerked Jeanette's mind back to the present, and she realized the group had come to a stop.

"There is a room ahead," said Artemis, turning back to address the group from the head of the column. "I hear voices."

"Could it be Cy-kun and Hang-chan?" asked Kyoko.

"I do not believe so."

"They're probably not friendly," said Arcsinh. "Can we back up and go around?"

"Perhaps," said Artemis. "But each turn I have taken has been to lead us lower, to where they are holding Cyrus and Hang."

"That sentry could have been lying, you know," Katsumura pointed out, glancing up from her D-Vector. She had pulled out a pair of headphones, and seemed to have been in the process of connecting them to the ubiquitous device.

"That did occur to me," said Artemis. "But the very bottom _is_ a logical place to hold captives, so that their escape would be most difficult, especially if they were brought in blindfolded and did not know the way."

"It's also a good place to trap _us_, regardless," Bolter admitted. "We'll have to be careful."

"You mean we weren't being careful before?" Kyoko's lips twisted, equal parts playful and miffed as she drilled her pinky into Bolter's forehead. "Itai!" she yelped, for the Lopmon had nipped her finger.

But Jeanette's attention was fading. The fog was thickening, and her whole body felt like it was made of lead and jelly. It just didn't want to stay up any longer, and the French youth leaned heavily against the wall. Rather than quell her body, this only seemed to embolden it, and so she slipped inch by inch lower along the wall.

"Jeanette?"

"Jeanette-chan?"

"Mmm," the girl said hazily, feeling her butt reach the cold, hard floor, her head nodding forward.

* * *

><p>"Jeanette-chan?" Kyoko dropped to her knees in front of Jeanette, eying the other girl worriedly. "C'mon," she said, taking her hand and pulling Jeanette back to her feet. "We can go back to the inn when we're done here," she nibbled her lip. "You can sleep all day if you want, but for now we've gotta keep going."<p>

Jeanette sighed heavily and shook her head, grinding the heel of her hand against one eye. "Okay, okay," she pushed her glasses back into place.

"Just hang back a little, ne?" said Kyoko. "There's something up ahead."

"Who's there!" barked a voice, echoing in the rocky confines of the serpentine tunnel. "I can hear you talking. Come on out!"

Artemis jerked her head toward the sound of the voice. "Bolter, with me!" she said, taking off at a sprint, disappearing around the corner.

"What the - ?"

"Light Nail!"

"Waaah!"

"C'mon!" said Kyoko, hurrying forward.

As they rounded the corner, the group found themselves standing in a small, rounded chamber with bunk beds against two sides and a table in the middle. An equal measure of playing cards and empty beverage bottles scattered its surface. A handful of mismatched, rickety chairs were set around it.

Aside from Artemis, there were two occupants in the room. One was sprawled on the ground. He had leathery green skin, a large, horned head adorned with a flashy mohawk, leather armor, and the kind of teeth that would give dentists nightmares. "Heeey," the Goblimon said with a drunken slur as Artemis stood over him. "I don't remember yeh bein' that shor', Bolvar. Or is that you, Rez?"

"Blazing Ice!" Bolter cried, launching himself from Kyoko's shoulder and sailing into the room upon his ears. He pursed his lips as though blowing, and a stream of icy bullets shot out at the stricken Goblimon.

"Light leg!" Artemis's ankle shone with a silver light as she jerked her foot up before stomping down. The combined attack was enough to eliminate the intoxicated bandit, leaving the group to deal with the other opponent.

"Come to rob the robbers?" said the remaining Digimon, in the same voice that had first heard the group. The quadruped was covered in brown fur, darker on the sides and forelegs but sandy on his belly. His front paws were covered in gleaming metal and ended in wicked red claws, while his ears, of similar proportion to Bolter's, were likewise metal and resembled sword blades.

"Prairiemon," said Katsumura, leveling her d-vector at it. "An Armor-level Digimon."

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" said the boisterous bandit. "Ha!" he lunged at Artemis, his claws glinting in the light as they swung through the air.

Artemis swatted the blow aside with her own claws, parrying it down so that they gouged into the dirt floor. "Light Nail!" Her other hand flattened out and struck, jabbing at Prairiemon's neck, but the subterranean mammal twisted his head to the side and deflected the attack with one of his bladed ears.

"Not bad, little girl!" Prairiemon pushed off and leapt backwards. "Now then - "

"Petit Twister!" Spinning up, Bolter launched himself at the Prairiemon's flank.

"Dimension Hole!" Prairiemon swung his ears forward in an X-shape and stepped forward. Suddenly, he was gone. Then with a flash of light, he appeared behind Artemis.

"Look out!" screamed Jeanette, finding the jittery adrenaline of battle at least a passing substitute for actual rest.

Wasting no time to turn and look, the lupine Digimon ducked and lunged forward, intending to roll back to her feet clear of whatever threat it was. But she didn't make it clear in time, and the wound on her leg stung painfully and sent her sprawling forward.

Prairiemon lumbered forward, clearly intending to take advantage of Artemis's momentary weakness, but Bolter came careening off a now-toppled bunk bed and barreled straight at him. "Oof!" grunted the Prairiemon, taking the blow in his shoulder and stumbling backwards. Bolter bounced off him, and inhaled a deep breath.

"Blazing Ice!" His ears spread wide to buoy him, he peppered the Prairiemon with a shower of ice projectiles.

"Ow ow ow!" yelped Prairiemon, before swinging both his ears at Bolter like a pair of scissors.

"Light Nail!" Artemis was back on her feet, and caught the oncoming attack with difficulty. Her body strained and trembled with the effort of holding back the blades, but it gave Bolter another chance to strike.

"Aerial Blazing Ice!"

"Dejisooru Chaaji!" Luminous pink flared around Kyoko's hand, and as she pointed her D-Vector at Prairiemon, she pushed the confirm button. "Blaster!" A blazing bolt of energy, the same color as her digisoul, shot out from the device and struck Prairiemon.

The blaster shot singed its target's flank, and he staggered sideways. "Almost there!" called Kyoko. "Finish him off!"

Artemis seized hold of Prairiemon's scissor ears and forced them into the ground. "Light Leg!" she yelled, leaping over them and kicking straight at Prairiemon's head.

"Dash Twister!" Bolter was a brown blur as he shot around to the side, knocking a chair over and then shooting himself at Prairiemon's flank.

The combined damage was too much, and the haggard Digimon collapsed to the ground. Bit by bit his data leaked out, and the stream grew and grew until there was nothing of him left, just a stream of particles heading back the way the team came.

"Hmm, not bad," remarked Katsumura, drawing a finger across her lips before typing something in on her D-Vector's keyboard. The luminous hologram projected off the device's tactile keyboard, and provided a full typing interface.

Artemis closed her green eyes for a moment, catching her breath in the battle's wake. "If they did not know they had intruders before, they certainly will now."

"Zat wasn't exactly quiet, was it?" murmured Jeanette, nodding. "We 'ave to 'urry!"

One tunnel lead deeper, but the other lead to another, larger room. It appeared that, for whatever reason, the bandits kept a sizable, if dusty library. Perhaps, Kyoko mused, it was the books, composing a stolen trove of that valuable treasure and weaponry, knowledge.

* * *

><p>"Light Nail!"<p>

"Dash Twister!"

"Silk thread!"

Precisely why the stockade's two guards were facing away from the entrance was a bit of a mystery to Jeanette. She supposed they were more concerned about the prisoners escaping, but in the end it just gave the team the chance to surprise the two Digimon flanking the door like rather chintzy statues. Gazimon went down first, the bunny going to dust.

Bolter bounced off like a pinball and struck the shell-backed Digimon next, sending him sprawling. "Wha? Where did you guys come from?" said the guard.

"The doorway," Arcsinh said with what might have been a smirking smile before his beaklike mouth split open. "Sticky net!" A spreading web of goo shot from his mouth, quickly entangling the mammalian Digimon.

He struggled, but it only wound it around more and more tightly, until he had effectively hog-tied himself. His limbs tangled, Armadimon tried to chew his way out, but it only gave the sticky mess someplace else to spread.

"Sticky net!" Arcsinh applied another layer for good measure, leaving Armadimon almost entirely covered in the adhesive webbing, able to only grunt and wobble.

"Hell, it's about time!" said a shrill voice from the other end of the room. The stockade was a long, rectangular chamber, with cells made of thick iron bars running along both sides of the room. Only the last cell was occupied, by a rather haggard young man and his noisy companion. Her sinuous form too small to be held by the bars, she'd been placed into a bird cage hung just outside the cell.

"Are you two okay?" said Kyoko, wringing her hands as she ran up to them. "You're not hurt, are you?" But looking closer at Cyrus's face in the gloom, she could see several fresh bruises, a handful of cuts, and a dribble of dried blood on the corner of the boy's lip.

Catching her looking, Cyrus rubbed at his chin, scattering the scabby flakes. "It's nothing," he said, hauling himself upright tenderly. "Thanks for the rescue."

Jeanette rummaged through a box by the door and found Cyrus's belongings, including his D-Vector. Then she retrieved the large ring of keys from a nail near the door, and hurried over to the cell while the rest of the group kept watch.

Gingerly Jeanette opened up Hang's cage, as though afraid the spunky Kudamon might elect to bite her on the way out, but she needn't have worried. Instead, she lightly nuzzled Jeanette's hand before scampering down her, eliciting a little giggle from the tickle of her dextrous paws.

Feeling a bit better, Jeanette inserted the key into Cyrus's cell door and twisted it. With the sound of metal against metal the door yawned wide, creaking loudly as it did so. Hang shot through the opening, quickly climbing Cyrus and twining herself around his neck, as was her customary traveling position.

"Um, Cyrus," Jeanette said in a very, very quiet voice the boy might have missed altogether if she hadn't still been standing in his way. "I'm sorry I yelled at you when we first met," her eyes dropped. "You were just trying to help," she said, passing Cyrus his D-Vector.

"It's okay," said Cyrus, to Jeanette's relief, while shooting a brief look at Hang to quell any snappy retort she might have been coming up with. He returned the D-Vector to his pocket. "It's good to be careful in times like these, just remember not everyone is out to get you."

"These bandits sure are, though," interjected Bolter. "Let's get while the getting's good."

"No arguments here," said Kyoko, scooping up her partner so that he likewise occupied a spot on her shoulders.

* * *

><p>Cyrus, Hang, and Artemis lead the group onward. Everyone was a little on edge, but they made it back to where they'd fought Prairiemon without encountering any more resistance. In that room however, Katsumura came up short.<p>

"Katsup?" Bolter cocked an eyebrow at her, but the brunette's attention remained elsewhere, fixed on the library they'd passed before. She started toward it.

"Katsu loves her books," said Arcsinh. "I guess we'll catch up with you later?"

"Catch up with us later?" Hang repeated severely. "How stupid can you be? If you get yourselves captured, I'm not helpin' rescue you!"

"Katsumura," Cyrus called gently. "Hang's right, it's too dangerous."

"More dangerous than walking around a world full of monsters at war?" Katsumura turned and smiled, but the gesture seemed more chilling than reassuring. "No one in their right mind would expect us to stick around. The closer we are to danger, the farther we are from harm. Go on without us. We'll have speed and stealth to get out." Turning her back, she waved the group off.

Kyoko sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "No one would expect it, because it _is_ pretty dumb," she sighed.

"I call it informed consent," Bolter said. "Mush!" he said playfully, poking Kyoko's shoulder.

Heading back the way they came in the first place, the bulk of the group split from Katsumura and Arcsinh at that point.

Kyoko slid up beside Jeanette as the blonde stifled yet another yawn behind her hand. "We're almost there," she said reassuringly. "Maybe once we're out of the tunnels, Hang-chan can evolve and let you ride her. I bet her fur's nice and soft, perfect for you to snuggle on for a nap!"

"That sounds nice," said Jeanette in a subdued voice. She was so tired, it seemed helpful even to save just that little bit of energy from speaking more quietly. She hadn't even realized Artemis had stopped until she walked right into the back of her.

"Zut! Je suis - " Jeanette stumbled backwards, only to be caught by Kyoko.

Looking around, she thought the room didn't look familiar, but dazzling sunlight shone in from the end of the cave. It wasn't the way they'd come in, but it was an exit. Just one problem, they weren't alone. A figure stood silhouetted in the sunlight, a short, bipedal form with catlike ears and an eager, flicking tail.

"Well, well, well," said a sardonic female voice, as the shadow marched toward them. Despite the impressive visual effect, Jeanette's D-Vector identified the speaker as a Black Tailmon. The creature's features were clearly feline, and as it strode closer, her black fur, the purple of her ear tufts, gloves, and tail markings became visible. She was short, taller than Bolter but not level with Artemis, and her whiskers twitched with amusement.

"You," breathed Cyrus, taking half a step back. "She's the leader," he said to the group in a strained whisper.

"Yes, yes I am," the feline said, walking slowly down the sloped chamber until she was perhaps twelve feet in front of the group. At this distance, the silver earrings she had were visible, two studs in each ear, the bottom pair showing a crescent moon shape. "You can call me Ascila."

"I can think of a few other things I'd like to call you," said Bolter, spreading his ears and drifting down from Kyoko's shoulders. "Hang, Artemis, let's do it. Back us up, boy and girls," he added as an afterthought, looking to the tamers.

Artemis's eyes scanned the sloped room in which the group found itself, first ahead, and then behind. "You expect to defeat us single-handed?"

"Oh no," Ascila said, her lips curling into a grin most mischievous, letting her slender little fangs poke out. "Not unless you are foolish enough to force me to. You three," she looked at Hang, Bolter, and Artemis. "Can go free. I have no interest in you. It's tamers I want."

"Bite me," said Bolter. "Your only choice is whether _you_ walk out of here."

Cyrus swallowed roughly, and Jeanette got a pretty good idea where the parallel scratches came from as she looked upon Ascila's gleaming claws.

"Dim though he may be, Commander Rathar had the right idea when he conscripted tamers to join him at Arcwater," the Black Tailmon went on. "Like a windmill or a dam uses natural elements for power, so too can Digimon use tamers for greater power. While the Excalibur and the Dark Army squabble against each other, I'll be setting myself up to take down the survivor. You three here plus the other two Scratch and Grinder went after will make five, and it will only grow from there. Now, surrender."

The fading edge of adrenaline came surging back with the threat manifested before Jeanette. "Two? Are zey after Colin and Zander, too?"

"Maybe," whispered Kyoko, her mouth very close to Jeanette's ear in hopes of foiling Ascila's sharp hearing. "I wonder if Katsu-san is okay."

"One flaw in your plan, bitch," growled Hang, her fur bristling as she nimbly leapt down from Cyrus's shoulder. "You won't set yourself up for anything if you're dead! Bullet Whirlwind!" springing forward, she shot like a tiny missile at the Black Tailmon.

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	18. Chapter 18

**Encircling Fangs**

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Bandit Base, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

"Bullet Whirlwind!" Hang was little more than a white streak blurring toward Ascila, and Jeanette thought that surely the attack's speed was such that the Black Tailmon on the receiving end could do naught but crumble.

Yet Ascila moved with equal speed, and lunged forward straight at Hang. Her claws carved a vicious path through the air, and sent the little Kudamon flying backwards. Hang impacted the wall behind Cyrus with a grunt, but the Black Tailmon had already directed her attention to her next target.

"Blazing ice!" Bolter fired a short burst of icicle-like darts at Ascila, but the nimble feline planted her feet and leapt over them. "Blazing ice!" he cried again, but this time she pushed off the ceiling and slammed him to the ground by his throat.

Ascila gave a feral hiss as her clawed glove tightened on the Lopmon's throat, cutting off his air supply and cutting into his neck. "Lop – Punch!" Bolter managed, smacking their opponent full in the face with a satisfying clap from one of his ears.

"Light Nail!" Artemis struck Ascila from behind while the Black Tailmon was distracted, her claws painfully perforating the bandit leader's shoulder.

"Cat Punch!" As Ascila reached around and seized Artemis's outstretched arm with one hand, the other launched a lightning fast punch at the Strabimon's midsection. Her blow was rewarded with a satisfying grunt, and then she kicked out with her leg and heaved on Artemis's arm.

Bolter grunted painfully as Artemis landed on him. "Get off!" he grunted, trying in vain to push the larger Digimon off himself. Fortunately Artemis was little more than briefly dazed, and sprang back to her feet.

"Back for more?" Ascila taunted, feral malice lighting her features as she faced Hang once more. "Cat's Eye!" Her eyes gleamed a brilliant gold and Hang briefly staggered as she scampered back into the fray.

"Eyes!" The Kudamon warned, relying on her tamer to protect their companions. Cyrus tugged his goggles onto his face and pushed both Kyoko and Jeanette around, so as to shield them from what was coming. "Extreme Light Shock!"

The tiny ray of sunlight ebbing down into the cavern caught on Hang's little golden hoop earring and reflected off one hundred fold, and Ascila cried out in alarm as the dazzling light blinded her. It was her turn to stumble, landing in a heap. Though she had caught the worst of it, she was saved somewhat by the fact that the partners had caught some of it too.

Still, Hang saw her opening. "Bullet Whirlwind!" There was no chance for a high-speed deflection this time around, and the Kudamon plowed headlong into her target, sending Ascila sprawling. "Not so much fun when we're not caged, huh?" snarled Hang, sinking her teeth into the Black Tailmon's namesake appendage.

Ascila yowled her displeasure at such an attack and lashed out blindly. "Cat Punch!"

"Nya nya!" taunted Hang, slipping to the side just in time. "Too slow!"

But the Black Tailmon's vision was recovering now, and she rolled to the side as Bolter fired a Blazing Ice at her. "Now look who's too slow!" she said, barreling toward the Lopmon now with all of her considerable speed.

"Light Leg!" Artemis's glowing foot chopped through the air, forcing Ascila to come up short.

"Cat Kick!" cried Ascilla, sweeping one of her legs around. The blow knocked Artemis off her feet, and Ascila sprang into the air to deliver a powerful follow-up. "Cat Punch!" She flattened her paw out, claws forward, and stabbed straight at Artemis's throat.

The Strabimon just managed to bring her forearm up in time, but the blow nonetheless cut deeply. "Light Leg!" Artemis was able to kick her feline assailant off her, but her teeth were clenched in pain and she held the arm gingerly. Jeanette winced at this, knowing how much pain her overly-stoic partner must have been in to finally show some trace of it.

"Why doesn't Hang-chan evolve?" Kyoko asked, wringing her hands nervously as she looked at Cyrus.

"Ascila beat us up pretty bad down there," Cyrus said, his voice a tad hoarse. He coughed and tried to clear his throat. "I don't think she's got the energy for it, or she would've. Ascila's outnumbered three to one and she's only an Adult, but she's pretty strong." He slipped a hand into his pocket and glanced at the D-Vector's display. Even in the relative gloom, the flush rising in his cheeks was visible. "And I'm not much better off."

"You can rest once we get back to zee inn," Jeanette said reassuringly, trying to make up for her past temper with the boy. Not only had he been right to warn them, but she had a measure of sympathy for his plight, being scooped up like some valuable trinket.

"Kyoko?" Jeanette looked at the older brunette. "Cyrus and 'ang might be weak, but we are well rested. Do you 'ave any drivers we could use?"

"Um, maybe," said Kyoko, plucking her d-ban from where it was clipped to her waistband. She brought up the appropriate menu and thumbed through it. After a moment, her eyes lit up. "Shibui! Dejisooru Chaaji!" The pink light flared around her right hand, and a few motes of light seemed to flake away from it, as though they were burning embers caught on the wind.

The light drifted to Ascila, catching her just after she'd knocked away a revolving Bolter. The Black Tailmon stumbled and gasped as though a bucket of ice water had just been dumped on her. "Now's your chance, guys!" Kyoko called, her hands cupped to her mouth. "I just cut her agility and stamina!"

"Clever bitch," grunted the Black Tailmon. She tried to dodge as Artemis struck from the side, but her body felt like it was made of lead, sluggish and heavy. The claws cut an angry mark across her upper arm, and out of the corner of her eye, Ascila glimpsed one of her whiskers go drifting away.

"I'll hit her left, you hit her right!" Bolter called out to Hang. "Dash Twister!"

"Right!" answered the Kudamon. "Bullet Whirlwind!"

Ascila's teeth clenched. "Cat's eye!" Her eyes flashed gold again, but it wasn't enough to stall either attacker. She was caught by both Hang and Bolter. Each jarring crash as she tumbled backwards was punctuated by a cry of pain from the feline, and she was slow to rise by the time she finally slid to a stop.

"Light leg!" Artemis's lanky legs quickly carried her the distance, and she swung a swift boot at the ailing Black Tailmon.

Ascila managed to avoid the blow just in time, the stream of energy just barely clipping her side. "Time to even the odds," she snarled, hissing loudly as she lunged up at Artemis. "Cat Punch!" Light flashed from Artemis's claws as she parried the blow, but Ascila pushed off the parry and struck again. "Cat Punch!" her claws lashed into Artemis's leg, and then Ascila pushed off again. "Cat KICK!" The shorter claws of her bare paw connected with Artemis's jaw, and the lupine Digimon fell to her knees.

"Artemis!" Jeanette cried in alarm, but Kyoko grabbed her shoulder. "I've got to 'elp 'er!"

"Stay back, Net-chan," Kyoko said firmly, holding the other girl tightly. "And don't go burning your Digisoul out like last time either, ne?"

"Hang and Bolter will have to finish this," Cyrus said, putting a reassuring hand on Jeanette's shoulder. "I know it's not much comfort, but Artemis _is_ the youngest. Besides..." He looked back to the battlefield, where Ascila was ignoring the stricken Strabimon. "That bandit's not going to hit her again unless she gets in the way."

Her comrades' words did little to assuage Jeanette's worry, and her fingers anxiously twisted the sleeve of her jacket. _She's young, she's out of the fight now, Ascila will ignore her..._ It didn't make it any easier to look upon Artemis's battered form, even as the Strabimon heaved herself up and limped to the sidelines.

Pale, trembling fingers drew her D-Vector from her pocket. She brought up her own driver list, but she wasn't optimistic. She was a quick study, and she didn't remember anything on the list that would act as even a roundabout way to heal Artemis. Still, she had to try.

"One of you out of the fight," chided the bandit leader. "Two more dominoes to fall, your weakest link already broken!" She jumped backwards as Bolter peppered her with ice bullets, and some of her speed seemed to be returning. "Perhaps I'll just leave that tamer, if her partner is so pathetic, blondie is probably even worse!" High, callous laughter echoed through the cave, down into the depths of the base and back again, so that it soon sounded like a crowd.

Jeanette's expression spasmed at the taunt and she could feel her knees shaking. Hadn't she put up with enough abuse lately? Wasn't thrashing her partner enough damage from the sadistic feline? They'd just wanted to rescue Cyrus and Hang as a friend, and then go on about their lives. Was that too much to ask?

* * *

><p>Kyoko watched the haunted expression on Jeanette's face as Ascila's laughter continued to echo like a whole malicious crowd. There was so much pain there, and the French youth began to tremble, whether it was from dry sobs or cataplexy Kyoko didn't know. At that moment, there was only one thing she did know, the only thing that mattered.<p>

"**Urusai!**" the normally perky brunette spat hotly. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and a blazing fury had ignited in her eyes. Her sudden shout drowned out the remaining echoes of Ascila's laughter, and her knuckles went white even against her darker skin as one hand tightly clenched the D-Vector, the other simply balled into the tightest of fists. "Kisama! Don't you dare! We didn't ask to be here, we just want to go on our way, away from the Dark Army, the Excalibur, and your bandits, and you won't even leave us to that, Miss bitchy pants!" She made a rude gesture in Ascila's direction, the Black Tailmon momentarily diverted from the battle. "Don't – you – dare!" She yelled again. "She's a stronger, better tamer than I am, and Net-chan is greater than you'll _ever_ be!"

A brilliant pink light flared at Kyoko's right hand, engulfing the D-Vector even as its display flashed _Evolution!_ Golden light erupted from Bolter at that moment, tinged with the same pink of Kyoko's d-ban. "Lopmon evolve!" he cried, vaulting into the air.

Amid the light, Bolter's fur turned from brown to blue, while his body grew exponentially. While his lower form resembled a child's toy rabbit, this new form was the size of a reasonably sized horse with sleek, foxlike features in a pointed head, slender ears, dainty paws and some nine bushy tails trailing behind him. Orange fire ignited at his four paws and the tip of each tail, while a bushy white mane at his neck matched the color of his belly. "Youkomon!"

The light faded from around Bolter, and his paws set themselves lightly on the ground. "Heh heh," he chuckled softly. His dark eyes set themselves on Ascila, eying his target warily. She looked back at him with equal caution, apparently unsure what to make of Bolter's sudden evolution.

"Heh heh?" Ascila echoed scathingly. "That's the best you can come up with?"

"Oh no," Bolter said casually, though he strode a few steps closer. "I'm just waiting."

"I'm not gonna die of old age, twerp," snapped the Black Tailmon.

"I know," Bolter smirked, still looming closer, and Ascila couldn't help an apprehensive step backwards. "I plan on taking care of you long before that." The same righteous, protective fury that had brought on Bolter's evolution blazed in his eyes, but there was a twinkle of mischief there too.

"Bullet Whirlwind!" Exactly what Bolter had been waiting for became apparent, as a furry missile slammed Ascila from behind. So focused on Bolter, she hadn't noticed Hang creeping up on her.

"Why you little - " snapped the enraged feline, but Hang had scampered away again, leaving Bolter with a clear line of very literal fire.

"Fireballs!" he spread his tails wide, and the tip of each discharged a hot streak of fire toward the Black Tailmon. Like meteors they pelted her, singing fur even as she did her best to twist and dance between shots.

Fangs showed as Ascila snarled in frustration, her remaining whiskers bristling. But she didn't have time to sulk, for Bolter lobbed another salvo of fireballs her direction. Fatigue was slowing her again, but this time it wasn't artificially induced. "Seems I underestimated you," she hissed. "No more games." Dropping to all fours, she barreled headlong toward her larger adversary. "Cat Kick!" she yelled, dropping into a slid across the cave floor and aiming straight for one of Bolter's forelegs.

Bolter leapt nimbly over the attack, smirking as he did so. With a flourish he landed and turned around, but Hang once more exploited Ascila's preoccupation. "Bullet Whirlwind!" Another hit to the ailing Black Tailmon's flank, and her silky black body quivered as she stood.

Kyoko was breathing heavily, as though she was a participant in the battle, not just a spectator. The radiant glow of her digisoul had faded for the moment, but she could still feel traces of the power she'd fed Bolter. Jeanette's life had been hard enough already without someone else trying to put her down and take advantage of her. Kyoko wanted Ascila _gone_ so they could go on their way, and Jeanette could go rest.

Her heterochromatic gaze dropped to Artemis, who had mustered the strength to stand, held up by Jeanette. Though wounded, the Strabimon seemed to be alright. Jeanette did not seem to have forgotten the battle however, and she took several deep breaths before holding up her D-Vector. As navy light flickered around her hand, the blond pushed a button and watched a shimmering effect appear around Bolter.

"Now we're talkin'!" said the Youkomon, grinning unabashedly. "Thanks, Jeanette," he called over before turning his attention back to Ascila. "Never cross a human," he shook his head. "They'll _always_ figure out a way to beat you. Now, this battle is over. Fireballs!" Another wave of fire washed from his tail, but Ascila wove and dove between them before leaping at Bolter.

"Cat Punch!" Her claws were extended, and she prepared to deal a raking blow to the side of Bolter's narrow head. But the Youkomon stepped back and raised his head, causing the strike to instead hit his belly, between his front legs. Though he grunted with pain, the blow didn't seem to have had much of an effect on him. "Cat Punch!" Ascila lashed out with her other hand, but Bolter sommersaulted gracefully into the air.

"Wicked – Flame – Dragon!" he cried, the fires at his paws and tail growing brighter with every syllable until his whole body was engulfed in blazing fury. Then the fire broke free, its leading edge forming the roaring mouth of a great dragon as it descended mercilessly upon Ascila.

A look of pure terror took root in those yellow eyes, reflecting the brilliant attack that charred the Black Tailmon to dust in seconds. When the fire and smoke cleared, there remained of her nothing but an ashen spot upon the ground, and the trail of shattered data leaking toward sunlight.

Kyoko let out a breath that felt like she'd been holding it the whole battle. "We did it!" she exclaimed, high-fiving Jeanette. The blonde smiled sweetly at her, and Bolter trotted over. "Wow," Kyoko murmured, reaching a hand up to stroke her partner's side gently.

Cyrus smiled a little as he scooped his beleaguered partner into his arms. "You're not the only one that can reach Adult around here anymore, eh?" he said, stroking Hang's chin with a finger.

"Not bad, rookie," said Hang, smiling rather sincerely at the fiery fox spirit.

"We should get moving," said Artemis, stepping away from Jeanette. Though her limp betrayed her injuries, she hid the pain well. "The loss of their leader will disorganize them for the time being, we had best use this time to escape." The Strabimon straightened. "We can stop off in the village, and then I would recommend we proceed west as soon as possible."

"C'mon," said Kyoko, gingerly ushering Jeanette toward Bolter. "Ne, you're okay with a passenger, aren't you?" Despite the flames flickering from Bolter's new form, she didn't feel any heat as she drew closer to him. She did notice however that the Youkomon was breathing heavily, hence her query.

"No problemo," Bolter said boisterously, kneeling so that Jeanette could more easily climb on his back. "Carryin' around a cute girl like you is way easier than fighting like that." Kyoko's lips curled into a grin even as she watched Jeanette turn brick red and stammer her thanks.

"They actually beat Ascila?" growled a voice from above, as a pair of Digimon appeared framed in the cavern's mouth. The speaker was rather odd, even by the standards of Digimon. Perhaps three feet tall, his body was blocky and covered in nubs and pegs, all shades of gray and he even seemed faintly transparent.

"So much for her grand plans," sneered the other, clearly female. Her form was much more humanoid, with sunlight reflecting brilliantly off the reds, oranges, and yellows of her ornate, insectoid armor. Black feelers trailed from the back of her head, while her mouth was a horizontal, beaklike piece. "I guess as of this moment, _I'm_ in charge!"

"Hey!" the Black Toy Agumon squawked indignantly. "Scratch would be a million times better at it than you, Shadramon!"

A frustrated growl came from Hang's throat as her yellow eyes looked up the slopping tunnel towards this latest threat. "Seriously, what are these guys, Gokimon? No matter how many times you stomp 'em more come skittering out! We just can't catch a break today."

There was a harsh, female cry from beyond the mouth of the cave. Then a high-pitched whine and a flash of light, before blackness briefly smothered the mouth of the cave. The blackness seemed alive, with the occasional glint of ruby appearing amid its teeming mass, all while it chattered and squawked. When the cloud faded, Black Toy Agumon and Shadramon were gone, not even data remained.

"We got you guys at last!" said a spunky female voice, as a pink-haired teenage girl walked into view. The girl's skin seemed naturally pale but tanned by exposure, and a fair amount of that considering her attire consisted mainly of short camouflage shorts, a black tank top, and leather boots. Most notable about her appearance, save perhaps her hair, was the very large gun cradled in her arms and supported by a shoulder strap.

"It hasn't been easy," said another voice, female but more subdued. A brunette came forward, blocking the entrance with her companion. Her hair was longer, easily shoulder length, and her body was garbed entirely in a mixture of chain mail and leather. She held a long, thin rod tipped with a sword blade in one hand, and held a D-Vector in the other.

"We _really_ can't catch a break," Bolter said dryly. "Even the ones who rescue us look like that want trouble."

"Hai," Kyoko nodded her anxious agreement. Her hand was cold and trembling as she reached out to take Jeanette lightly by the wrist. "C'mon," she said. "They don't look friendly." With some coaxing, Jeanette slid down from Bolter's back and Kyoko stepped in front of her, shielding her.

"Who are you guys?" Cyrus said, stepping forward. Despite his injuries, he seemed determined to do his duty as most senior tamer on hand to look after the others. He held his D-Vector at the ready, and even Hang did her part to look tough and menacing from his shoulder.

"We're _girls_, doofus," The pink-haired one said obnoxiously, before chuckling slightly. "I'm Led, that's Lexi." She nodded to her companion. There was a brief flash of light around the other, almost like a Digimon's evolution glow, but shorter and dimmer, more muted.

"It's _you_!" Bolter spat, his eyes blazing as they set upon the brunette. "I remember that trick, she's the one from before, Kyoko!"

"Devil's whisper," as Lexi spoke, her eyes gleamed gold. A vicious smile twisted her lips, and Kyoko's vision swam strangely. The question about what one from before died on her lips. Her body tingled and relaxed, her mind going blank. _What was going on?_ Something important had been on her mind a moment ago, but the thought was like snow, crumbling as she laid hands on it. Her face was utterly slack, and Kyoko was faintly aware that Jeanette had let out a gasp upon seeing the look in Kyoko's eyes.

Kyoko's hand reached out, seizing Jeanette's bicep in a vicelike grip. The blonde cried out, but where that sound might have once jarred Kyoko's gut, it could not reach her through the veil that seemed to have settled over Kyoko.

"Kyoko?" Cyrus's voice came from far away, but the boy didn't matter. All that Kyoko was concerned with at the moment was Jeanette, and making sure the girl didn't get away.

"Hey, wake up!" said a familiar voice. "This is no time for games, Kyoko!" But Kyoko only tightened her grip on her prize, heedless of Jeanette's squeal of pain and efforts to free herself from the iron grip.

"Let her go!" Cyrus said sharply, and Kyoko saw him approach from the corner of her vision. Her eyes snapped around, and as the boy reached out to grab her arm, she intercepted him with her other hand. Seizing his wrist, she twisted his arm the wrong way and then forced it aside. Then she struck, her fist sinking into his chest, just below the ribcage. Cyrus gasped and doubled over, only for his head to be snapped backwards as Kyoko's elbow impacted his jaw. Finally, her knee shot up, catching Cyrus in the stomach and sending him double to the floor.

"What's gotten into you?" The Youkomon loomed over her, but he crumpled with a yelp. A green blast of energy washed over him, and a similar bolt struck Hang as she disentangled herself from her stricken tamer. Artemis was the last to fall, going down only after being shot several times and going facedown in the dirt inches from the feet of the two girls.

"Well done," purred a voice, and Kyoko turned to see Lexi striding closer. The Naginata had been slung over her back, and her eyes had reverted to their normal purple. Spinning back, Kyoko saw Jeanette continuing to struggle against her implacable grip, clearly frightened but reluctant to use too much force against a friend, even one so seemingly addled. Kyoko knew what she saw in the girl's eyes, terrible fear, but the veil blocked her from caring.

"Kyoko? What's wrong?" Jeanette gasped, trying to pry Kyoko's fingers loose. "What are you doing? Whatever I did – I'm sorry!"

"She can't hear you," Lexi said softly, looking impassively upon Jeanette's terrified visage. "Or really, she just can't do anything about it. I've been looking forward to this for a long time," her lips pulled back in a vicious grin, and for a fleeting moment, her incisors seemed to be pointed fangs.

"W-w-what do you want wizz me?" Jeanette stammered, her body trembling, pale as a sheet, it might've been fear rooting her in place, or it might've been Kyoko.

"That Digisoul of yours," said Led, coming to stand beside Lexi. "A friend of ours needs that kind of power." She slung her cannon back over her shoulder, and shot a contemptuous look at the rest of the group that she'd incapacitated.

"T-t-t-zat eez nice," Jeanette murmured, with the air of one trying to talk nice to the vicious beast they expected to tear into them any second now.

A coil of chain extended from seemingly nowhere out of Lexi's palm. "Stun Whip!" Swinging it high, she then flicked her wrist and brought the length of chain down upon Jeanette. The girl's terrified scream rang loudly through the cave, echoing terribly.

"N-net-chan?" Kyoko gave a jolt as though waking suddenly. That feeling of vacuum was gone, that callous, unfeeling stoicism as if she was nothing but a conduit for another's will. "Nanka atta-no?" Her heterochromatic eyes blinking perplexedly. What happened? Why did she feel so strange? And why was Jeanette white as a ghost?

Her hand slackened, painful and stiff as though she'd been clinging to Jeanette's arm for dear life. "Net-chan!" she cried out as the chain whip struck, coiling itself tightly around Jeanette. "Let her go!" she screeched, turning toward Lexi. "Now!" She lunged, dazing Lexi with a blow to the side of the head. She seized the hand in which Lexi held the chain, but as she raised it high to twist the wrist and break it if necessary to loosen the other girl's hold, a heavy, open-handed blow struck her cheek and sent Kyoko crashing to the ground.

_I can't let them - _Kyoko thought desperately, coughing and trying to force her uncooperative body to rise. _C'mon, c'mon!_ But she was fighting just to stay conscious now, and she could only watch as Lexi and Led departed with their unconscious prize.

Lexi's trance trick had jarred loose memories, memories the very same abomination had buried. Not long after her arrival in the Digital World, Kyoko had been out exploring one of the forests in the eastern province with Bolter. Advanced scouts from the Dark Army had attacked, and both had been injured fending them off. A squad of Chronian soldiers had rescued them, but another group attacked them.

The soldiers were all killed despite Kyoko and Bolter's efforts to help, and _she_ had been leading that group. Bolter thought that Lexi had just given Kyoko a _You're not worth my time_ look and then disappeared into the inky night, but now Kyoko remembered that same feeling of emptiness and diligent purpose, a puppet doing its master's bidding. A plan for later had been implanted, and then Lexi had activated it in full force when the moment to capture the Dark Army's prime target had come. That which Kyoko had fought so hard against, she had been an unwitting pawn to do...

She felt two wet tracks run down her cheeks, and blackness swallowed her...

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf

**Author's note:** I'd previously been using the credit for bits only in the chapters in which they appeared, but from now on, I'll just put them all in regardless.


	19. Chapter 19

**Aftermath**

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forests, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

"The hell happened here?" Zander wondered aloud as his boots crunched heat-blackened grass. Several small fires crackled in the forest clearing, and splinters of wood and bark from a blasted tree lay everywhere. Great furrows had been carved into the ground, casting dirt hither and tither. "A battle," he murmured, his silver eyes taking in the unmistakable signs. "Think they're still around, Koro?"

"Hard to say," the little Hagurumon floated along a few feet behind Zander, his eyes clicking and whirring as they surveyed the landscape. "I'd hate to get in the way of whoever did this."

"I second that," Colin's hands were tucked idly in his pockets. He'd perched himself on a tree stump, though this particular stump seemed long since that way, not a sign of what had clearly been a recent battle.

"I dunno," said Zander, running his hand over a tree, its bark torn where a large set of claws had carved into it. "I'd be interested to know how someone got strong enough to cause this much damage."

"Zander!" Koro said suddenly, and the gear-shaped cyborg drifted over to a patch of ash and dirt that seemed to be stirring several meters away. He looked closely, and saw a spindly metal hand clawing its way toward sunlight. "There's someone alive over here!"

"There is?" Zander wheeled around. He moved toward his partner.

"Hey, wait up!" said Colin, dropping from the stump and jogging after Zander. "What if it's one of those bandits, like the others went to deal with?"

"Someone already did most of our work for us," Zander said calmly, pausing for a moment to look back at his fellow tamer. "If this one causes any trouble, we'll finish blasting them back to data. Think you can do that Pidmon trick again?"

The buried figure groaned in agony, stirring a little more. "Registration – Locomon?" a voice muttered vaguely. The three's efforts were able to clear away the dirt, ash, stone and bits of branch that were covering the wounded Digimon. Beneath it all, they found a familiar Digimon, straight out of Greek mythology. The body of a horse was fused to the torso of a man, set with bits of metal and odd purple plating on brown hide.

"It's him!" said Koro, backing up, his gear hands clicking once and then spinning more rapidly as he prepared to attack. They hadn't forgotten the bunch of bandits from earlier, the ones who'd gotten Cyrus in the first place.

"Hold it," said Zander, as Grinder gave a weak, rattling cough. "Can you hear me?" he said, crouching low beside the badly-wounded Centarumon.

"Yes," with a great deal of effort and some help from Colin, the beast man managed to get himself upright, though he was still crouched on the ground.

"What happened to you?" Zander said, straight to the point. Any number of possibilities drifted through his mind. What power had been able to scar this place so? Had this Digimon been left alive on purpose, to spread infamy, or on accident, as the demolisher moved on to other things?

"Two of them," rasped Centarumon, holding his left hand to a deep wound in his abdomen. Even as he did so, the trio noticed a steady stream of data particles leaking out. "Came out of nowhere. Ambushed us, and forced their way inside. Scratch... she's gone... gone," he repeated, his voice heaving.

"An ambush," said Zander. "Well, that's one way to take someone without a fight."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Colin also knelt beside the wounded bandit, but his demeanor was far softer than Zander's, his interest above information.

Centarumon's response was delayed by another dire-sounding cough. "It's too late for me now," he said.

"Let's go," said Zander, rising. "We might be able to catch up to whoever did it."

"But he's dying," Colin gave Zander a sharp look, but the silver-haired boy shook his head.

"Nothing we can do will change that now," he said.

"Besides," Koro interrupted. "If whoever it was went inside the bandit base, the others could be in trouble!" The Hagurumon turned around, but Zander was already striding out of the clearing, following the path of more landscape scars from the battle. No doubt he figured it would lead him toward the base.

"Zan!" Colin called after him, but Koro had already gone after the other tamer. When he turned back around in irritation, it was to see that the data trickle had become a stream. The hole in Centarumon's abdomen was larger than his hand could ever hope to cover, and it was growing larger by the second. Colin stared in transfixed horror as Grinder slumped before washing away altogether. Rising, his teeth clenched momentarily, but then he made a gesture and murmured a prayer for the fallen before hurrying after them.

-

"Zander?" Colin called out, his eyes searching amid the trees. Yet he caught no swish of a long coat, nor the gleam of a gear. He let his eyes drift lower. If he couldn't figure out where they were, he could at least figure out how they got there. "Aha," he said after a moment, carefully examining a particular print. It was rather recognizable as being a human bootprint, rather than any matter of claw, hoof, or slither mark from a Digimon.

He followed it along a vague path in the dirt, surmising that he must've been getting closer to the bandit base. "Zander?" he called out again, cupping his hands to his mouth. The trees gave way to a rock face, and he saw a wide opening leading down into darkness. He could hear voices echoing up from inside, and made his way onward.

"Koro?" As he passed a tree, he was seized from behind and pulled into the shadow of a large, rather decrepit looking tree. Turning around, he saw a tense expression on Zander's face.

"Quiet," the boy whispered roughly, and looking down, Colin saw Koro lurking there as well. "Someone's coming," he pointed toward the mouth of the cave and ducked a little further into the tree's shadow.

"Sheesh, she's heavy," said a disgruntled female voice. A young girl came bounding out of the cave and spun around.

"Nya nya!" she taunted, still looking down into the cave. "I thought Kera was supposed to make you strong?"

"Shut it," the first voice snapped, as a second girl came out of the cave, a third person unconscious on her back. The first speaker's hair hair was long and brown, her dark clothing standing out against rather pale skin. Colin recognized her at once.

"It's her," he hissed. Despite the recognition however, Colin couldn't deny that Zander had the right idea, and so he didn't move from their hiding place.

The other girl was pink-haired and lively, clearly unafraid of taunting her companion. A large gun was slung across her back on a strap. "Where can I get one of _those?_" Zander muttered.

The head of the third drooped listlessly, and Colin caught a flash of pink against blond. "_It's Jeanette!_," he said, unable to help his voice from rising. Zander poked him in the back sharply for the noise. Colin turned to him. "We've got to help her," he whispered urgently.

Zander slowly shook his head. "You want the pair of them to do to us what they did back there?" He jerked his thumb the way they'd come.

"Better than just watching her get kidnapped," Colin growled lowly. He didn't know who was after her, or why, but it was clear from the chains and her unconscious state that Jeanette hadn't agreed to this. He unclipped his D-Vector, taking a deep breath.

"Forget it," said Zander, grabbing him by the bicep. "You'll never get anywhere in life if you're already dead." Colin made to move away, but Zander tightened his grip and gave him a sharp look.

With a great deal of effort, Colin forced himself to stow his D-Vector. Trying to hide his anguish, he turned back to the trio. Shadows seemed to flicker around the brunette, and though nothing was visibly supporting her, she lifted into the air. "Back to Blight," she ordered the other.

"Yeah, yeah," said the other, casting a final look around the area. Was it Colin's imagination, or did her eyes seem to linger on their hiding spot? She reached around and touched a control on her gun, and an aura of golden light erupted around her. A phantasmal image appeared around her, like a great armored lion, the size of a semi truck cab. Then black, gold-trimmed armor began materializing around her, and she fell to all fours, her form growing until it equaled the image's size. With a whine like a jet, she shot into the air, following her companion.

Colin's eyes were wide in shock. "S-she's got the same power I do!" he said, no longer troubling to keep his voice down.

"Kaiser Leomon," Zander said, reading off his D-Vector's display. "Perfect," he frowned. "That's a level above yours, Colin."

"Maybe they can evolve to other levels, like Digimon can?" said Koro. "Looks like they're gone..."

**Town of Moonbrook, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus**

"Muri-yo!" Kyoko screeched, her fists pounding the oak table. She felt a twinge of regret at her rash action, a pained expression crossing her face as her hands throbbed from their impact with the table. Yet it was nothing compared to the wild pain inside of her. "I – I said I'd protect her!" she said hotly. "How could I...?" her voice petered out to a pathetic squeak.

"You remember now, don't you?" Bolter said gravely, sitting on the table. He'd narrowly avoided getting between Kyoko's tightly curled fist and the wooden surface. "It wasn't just a haughty look she was giving you... that's the girl who can use Digimon attacks, isn't it?"

"That's correct," said Katsumura. With the bandits in disarray following the deaths of so many of their members, the brash youth and her partner had simply been able to stroll out of the bowels of the cave unimpeded like the rest of the group. "But Lady Devimon doesn't have any techniques like that," she said, gesturing to her D-Vector. "There are several other Digimon species that can make hypnotic-like effects, though I've never heard of one being used so... craftily. That girl must know her stuff if she was able to make a Manchurian agent like that."

"Manbomon agent?" Bolter wondered, raising an eyebrow. That pink-haired girl's gun had stunned him like the rest of the group it was used on, but the three empty plates stacked on the table behind him had helped the Lopmon to regain his strength.

"_Manchurian_," Katsumura repeated. "It's a term from a book. It means an agent who _doesn't know_ they're an agent. Any counterintelligence would probably miss them, because they're perfectly normal until they get their trigger, and then they carry out their task." There was an admiring tone in her voice as she spoke, and it took her a moment to catch onto the heterochromatic death glare Kyoko was giving her.

"_Urusai!_" Kyoko stressed every syllable through clenched teeth, leaning menacingly forward. "Barbarian!" she said, standing upright with such force that her chair was sent flying. A Pokomon in the line of flight squawked indignantly, but Kyoko was seeing red as her hands flew for Katsumura's skinny, insolent little neck. "I just betrayed my friend! And all you can do is marvel at _how_ someone made me do it?"

"Hey!" Arcsinh jumped up, but his lack of limbs and small stature left him ill-equipped to fend off a rabid teenager.

"Kyoko, stop!" It was a testament to Cyrus that he jumped Kyoko from behind, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Stop it!" he said, hauling her backwards, away from Katsumura. Only hours before she'd tossed him around like a rag doll, and while he was a little worse for wear from it, he wasn't letting that stop him now. "She's not our enemy!"

Kyoko howled and struggled against Cyrus's grasp, launching into a bilingual rant that would've rather embarrassed her had any of her family overheard it. Kyoko didn't know what she was feeling, just that she _hurt_, and she was lashing out, trying to do something, anything, to quiet the pain. "Let go! We-we've got to go after her! They took Jeanette-chan! Pink-haired panti dorobo! Chainmail kyapi-kyapi!"

"Kyoko!" Cyrus said desperately. "A little – help?" he managed, casting a desperate glance at the others. But Zander, Koro, and Colin weren't back yet, and Katsumura seemed quite bemused by the sight unfolding before her.

"Cool your jets!" snapped Hang, picking herself up off the back of Cyrus's vacated chair with difficulty. "Don't make me evolve, young lady!"

"Why did I help them do it? -"

Her words were cut off as Bolter launched himself off the table, his ears spread wide to glide. "Gotcha!" he said, grabbing onto Kyoko's face. There he clung, her cries muffled against the chocolate-colored fur of his belly. Kyoko struggled against Cyrus, trying to free an arm to pry Bolter off, but she could already feel herself burning out. She didn't _want_ to feel this way, she didn't want to take it out on her friends. They were there to help her. Like she should have been there to help Jeanette...

The fire abruptly went out, and Kyoko dropped to her knees, hiccuping. The abrupt weight took her out of Cyrus's hold, but the brunette's aggression had burned itself out. "There, there," Bolter murmured in her ear, rubbing his furry cheek against her smooth one. "It's alright," He fiddled with one of her rabbit-shaped earrings a little, and Kyoko gave a watery giggle. "You weren't yourself. They made you do it."

Kyoko sniffled and gently pried Bolter off her face, holding him close, as though afraid he too would be taken from her. "W-where is Artemis? Did they take her too?"

"I don't think so," said Hang, shaking her head slowly. "I was one of the first to wake up, and I saw her limping off under her own power. But that was after the bitches were gone."

"Here," Cyrus said gently, steering Kyoko back into her righted chair. He set a cup of steaming tea in front of her. "Drink some of this," he said, the saucer scraping as he nudged it closer to Kyoko. He straightened up and looked over at Hang, while Kyoko reached out a trembling hand and wrapped her fingers around it.

The warmth felt nice against her fingers, and she took a slurping sip as Bolter settled into her lap.

"Was Artemis going to try and go after them?" Cyrus wondered, picking up Hang's thread of conversation. "She was in pretty rough shape too, though..."

"I'm not sure that would have stopped her," said Arcsinh, settling himself in front of Katsumura again. He tapped what passed for his hand against his beaky mouth. "Think of how determined she was."

"Yeah," Cyrus said slowly. He gave a brave attempt at a smile. "With the two of you out to get Jeanette back, I'm sure she'll be alright," he said evenly, patting Kyoko on the shoulder.

_Right,_ Kyoko thought, her hand trembling a little. A bit of tea spilled over the edge of the cup, and she held it up and licked it off. Then she took another sip, before sagging slightly in her seat. She mentally paced over and over the last few hours, agonizing over what she could have done differently to avoid what happened. It didn't help that the memory of that witch's programming was now as clear as a bell in her memory, taunting her with the secret it had kept.

"I know it's not much comfort, Kyoko," Bolter said evenly, stroking the hand wrapped around his abdomen with a tiny paw. "But tamers are only good to the dark army alive. They won't harm her."

Kyoko gave a little squeak, but then attempted a smile. Her face seemed to reject the gesture however, as if knowing the lie, and though she didn't have a mirror, she imagined it was all too close to the grimace of disgust from time she'd tried cooked cabbage. She drained the rest of the tea in a couple of gulps, comforted slightly by the scalding heat sliding down her throat.

She stood carefully, still holding Bolter so tightly it was a testament to his loyalty he didn't complain or even crack jokes about it. She looked at Katsumura. She felt none of the fury she had looking upon that face not entirely unlike her own a moment ago. "I'm sorry," Kyoko said, bowing to the younger girl. "It's not you I'm upset with." Katsumura simply nodded and went back to reading something of her D-Vector's display, but Kyoko nonetheless let out a relieved breath.

"I – I think I'm gonna go lay down for awhile," she said slowly. Her head was pounding from chasing itself in circles, and it was her dearest hope that she get some undisturbed sleep after all they'd endured the last few days.

-

Sheer exhaustion gave Kyoko the respite she'd been hoping for, and for a few fleeting moments when she first stirred, she didn't remember the day's events. She could feel Bolter close at hand, snoozing against her side, held close like a stuffed animal. Only when her blue eye peaked open and saw the vacant bed across from her did she give a quiet, momentary sniffle.

_Net-chan..._

She sat up, brushing sleep from an eye with her finger. "Sleep well, Bolter?" she asked, patting his head as she felt him rousing too. He grumbled and yawned widely, and Kyoko was swinging her feet over the side of the bed when she heard a knock at the door.

"Kyoko? Are you awake?" It sounded like Cyrus.

Bolter craned his neck, looking up at Kyoko, and she knew what he was thinking. Maybe it would be better off to feign sleep... Kyoko wasn't in a very social mood at the moment, and she thought with a bitter smile, that Cyrus would probably rather not have his list of injuries added to if he set Kyoko off.

"Hey!" said a sharper voice. "Open up!"

Cyrus muttered something inaudible to his partner.

"Well, if they'd just _open the door!_" she went on, louder still. "Knock again, Cyrus."

"Coming, coming!" said Kyoko, shuffling over. She felt the reassuring weight on her back as Bolter took his usual roost, and felt the misery etching her face loosen a little. She twisted the lock and opened the door.

"Hi Kyoko," Cyrus said quietly, eying the brunette uncertainly. He chewed his lip, and his hands were jammed in his pockets. "Can I come in?" Kyoko stood aside for him, and the boy strode in. Hang was perched on his shoulder, watching Kyoko. "H-how are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," Kyoko said, the lie almost painful and completely transparent. How could _anyone_ be fine after what she'd been through? "Thanks for asking. You...? I've been a bit rough, haven't I?"

"Not any worse than Ascila," Cyrus said, waving a hand.

"Bitch." Hang said flatly.

"Yes, yes," Cyrus said patiently, though smiling a little. "Don't worry about it." He moved over to the low and wide dresser and leaned against it. "I conferred with Valdor. His forces are still holding Arcwater, the Dark Army hasn't sent much more than scouts their way. I told him... about what happened, with those two Dark Army tamers capturing Jeanette. Her power isn't honed yet, but I shudder to think what she'd be capable of if she wasn't on our side..."

"She'd _never_," Kyoko said at once.

Cyrus swallowed and glanced at Hang. The Kudamon nodded reassuringly, and Cyrus went on. "Valdor wants to make recovering her a priority. We don't know where she is, but all Eastern Province forces are being alerted to keep an eye out for her. Hang and I will be out in the field as well, doing what we can, and if we find any leads, we'll pursue them at once. That's why I came to see you," he said, meeting Kyoko's tortured eyes with difficulty. "We'd like you and Bolter to join us."

Kyoko blinked. "You want us to come help?" A little bit of the pervading numbness faded. Cyrus was trusting in her and Bolter, despite recent events.

"Anything beats just sitting around here," Bolter said, looking up at Kyoko. "I want to get her back too, but we can shake every enemy we get our hands on until one of 'em coughs up something."

Cyrus nodded, smiling a little. "Yeah, that was my thinking too. We're bound to find a clue about what happened sooner or later, right?" Hang nodded her agreement.

"And when we find 'em, they're gonna pay!" Hang said, nodding decisively as though that settled the matter. "You in, Kyoko, Bolter?"

Kyoko straightened up, a steely glint in her eye. "Yes."

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	20. Chapter 20

**Manacles of the Night**

* * *

><p><strong>Outpost Blight, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

A scattering of sunlight filtered in through the glass skylight above. It was doubly hidden within the ruins of an old Excalibur watchtower, innards exposed like a scavenged animal, and an illusion spell that would conceal the constructs dug out beneath the tower.

Lexi Tashimi stood in the topmost, circular room, leaning against the railing that ringed the shaft behind her. It was made of fine wood, almost as utilitarian as it was ornate. A spiral staircase lead to the lower rooms, each main chamber circular like the one she stood in now. Each floor had a main purpose, such as storage, armory, barracks, or brig. Various other rooms branched off of that, forming a safehouse the Dark Army had been using in its war for years now. The Excalibur had never managed to find it, though they'd come close a few times.

She was drinking from a can of pink lemonade, lost in thought with the completion of their recent mission.

"Hey, spice girl," Of course. Peace was a sleeping dragon, and Led could never resist stepping on its tail. "You really think that tinker's got the power Kera's looking for?" Led was seated on the railing, letting her legs dangle into the pit. For once her gun was set aside, set aside against a nearby table, in what passed for Blight's rec room. Food and drink were up there as well, regularly resupplied by black market contacts, or smuggled in from out of the kingdom's reach.

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Obviously, or we wouldn't have gone to all the trouble." She took another sip, thinking. At least the prospect of a new host had Kera sufficiently occupied that their minds were mostly separate. Lexi wasn't sure what was involved with the Lady Devimon taking a new host, as she'd been unconscious until the excruciating moment.

"'Course," said Led, swinging her legs idly, letting the heels tap the railing. "She could be pretty strong-willed. A Digisoul is emotional power after all, isn't it? Kera might need her current little host back."

Lexi sighed at her subordinate's continual prodding demeanor. "Give Kera time," Lexi said darkly, the can of lemonade creaking as her grip on it tightened. "You'd be amazed what having one of Erya's handmaiden's latched onto your mind can make you do." Pivoting and looking back over her shoulder, Lexi looked down the spiral shaft, able to see to the level below, for it was mostly open.

Bookcases lined half the wall of the circular second floor down, with a few lamp-lit tables scattered around the room. At the far side, not visible to either girl at present, was a set of ornate wooden doors, inlaid with gold and set with heavy handles carved in the shape of a Devidramon. That lead to Kera's private chambers, employed by the Lady Devimon and her host.

Also in the room, off to the side from the spiral staircase, was a black metal cage, suitable in size for one occupant of approximately human dimensions. It was where prisoners who were more than common rabble were kept when Kera needed them. Jeanette was currently locked in it, also bound by chains. She was backed up against one side of the cage, her knees drawn tightly to her chest and hiccuping softly.

"How long until Kera jumps hosts?" Led asked, glancing up at Lexi. Lexi wondered that herself, but received a harsh rebuke when she drifted closer to Kera to inquire.

"I'm not sure," said Lexi, turning her eyes instead toward the skylight. The rays of sun were steadily dying out, choked out by the ominous curtains of gray rain clouds being drawn across them. _Storm's rolling in_, she thought, while musing about how it was fitting to the situation. Someone's world was about to get very dark indeed.

* * *

><p>Jeanette rocked slightly in place, holding her knees painfully tight to her chest. The binding, biting chains clinked and chafed as she moved, and she felt a renewed urge to sob. There was no hope of her flabby muscles getting her out of the stout cage, and her D-Vector had been taken from her.<p>

The tears had left her eyes dry, her gaze blurred, but she could still see the blue and pink device sitting on a table several feet away. It might as well have been miles. Her partner was gone, and Kyoko, after vowing to look after Jeanette, had basically just handed her over. The dead look in Kyoko's eyes still haunted Jeanette, so unflinching even as it condemned the blond to this pain.

_It's just a nightmare!_ Jeanette thought feverishly to herself. _It's got to be... life can't be this cruel_. She'd begged, howled, and made one hell of a racket trying to shake the bars, but all the duo above had done was laugh at her misfortune. Now, Jeanette felt overstimulated and just burned out. Everything hurt. Her mind chased itself in circles, trying to find some thread, some flaw, some way out of this mess. Her heart ached at the memory of her capture when it wasn't iced over with the fear of her nightmares come true. Her body throbbed, for Lexi – that's what the armor-clad girl was called – had been less than kind to her package, and Jeanette's arm was surely bruised from where Kyoko had held it so hard. The only time she'd ever _wanted_ her narcolepsy to kick in and take her away from it all, it wasn't.

She wanted to get up and pace, but the chains held her down, and the cage was too small to get more than a step or two in any direction anyway. Jeanette sniffled quietly, fishing in her pockets for a tissue, but found none. So she settled for the sleeve of her jean jacket, and suppressed a shiver. The place felt so cold. There was no wind, but the cold seemed to be despair made tangible, biting through denim and cotton alike until goosebumps rippled across Jeanette's pale skin.

Lifting up her glasses, she wiped her face with the other jacket cuff before leaning back against the bars. They were far from comfortable, digging into her back, but what could she do anymore...?

_I've got to believe the others are looking for me,_ Jeanette thought, wishing she'd been able to drop some kind of trail on the way to... wherever here was. She could see faint glimmers of sunlight coming down the spiral staircase, but the room she was in had no windows.

Now that she looked, Jeanette thought that the light seemed to be fading. If it was dusk already, that would mean she was carried unconscious for some time... she could be many miles from there by now, beyond the Exalibur's reach and behind enemy lines.

Jeanette suppressed another fine shiver running through her body. Or at least, that's what she thought it was at first. Her ragged breathing eased a little as she paused, extending her senses. There was another tremor, but this time it was accompanied by a distant rumble. _Thunderstorm_ she realized.

She cast an anxious look up at the pair still lording over her, only to see they'd gone. Jeanette leaned forward, trying to get a better view, but she still couldn't see them. That gave her a little time. She hadn't seen much of anyone else down here. Maybe if she got out, she could slip away.

To that end, Jeanette set about trying to wiggle free of the chains. It was easier said than done, as they were tight, and more than once she had to bite the inside of her lip to stop from crying out as the chain bit into her wrist or ankle.

How long was it taking? Without a clock in sight, Jeanette could only guess, but the thunder claps had grown steadily closer and more frequent, and the peanut gallery hadn't returned. "Allez -" she hissed under her breath, giving her arm a hearty shake. "Ah!" she gave a hushed exclamation, and it was with relief that she finally felt the tight coils of chain fall loose from her wrists. The fair skin was pink and raw, tender to the touch, but Jeanette let out a sigh of relief, one that felt like a breath she'd been holding in all this time.

Emboldened by her success, Jeanette set to work on the chain binding her ankles. Even with her hands free it was taking some time, as every once in awhile a little creak would reach her ears and she would pause, panting, hoping someone wasn't coming to check on her.

"Almost – there," she breathed, giving the chain a hearty shake. It was resisting however, and she suddenly heard steps coming from up above. Jeanette gave it another frantic rattle, but it twisted painfully, digging into her leg until tears welled in her eyes.

The two were back, this time descending the spiral staircase from the room above, rather than simply watching from the railing. Lexi was in the lead, the other following up behind her. "Well, well," a smile played across Lexi's lips as she approached the cage, and saw the chain strewn across the floor. "Clever and determined, are you?" The brunette made a noise of contempt. "I think Kera will like you."

"And who eez _zat_?" Jeanette spat, rising to her feet. Her hands planted defiantly on her hips, and her chin jerked up at Lexi.

"She's a friend of ours," said the pink-haired girl, idly tapping the toe of a leather boot against the floor. Pirouetting on a toe, she dropped onto one of the thick wooden tables around the study. It was covered with heavy books, and she nudged a few out of the way.

_THUD_. One of the books had been pushed off the edge of the table by her rearranging things.

"Be careful with those, Led," Lexi said in an exasperated voice, rolling her eyes without even looking back. "Unless you'd like her highness's new host to make punishing you her first task."

"Yeah, yeah," the girl who was Led said back, trailing off under her breath.

"What are you talking about?" Jeanette said, unable to keep the tinge of fear out of her voice. Just what were they planning with her? She'd been expecting them to try and persuade her to fight for them, the same way Rathar had. Except this time they had no hostage for leverage. What could they do? _Kill you, for starters_ a rather pessimistic thought echoed from the back of Jeanette's mind. She swallowed thickly.

"You'll see – soon enough," Lexi said, sounding oddly breathless. Her skin seemed pale, and her pupils were dilated. Her breathing was growing shallower, it looked like she might be sick. She took an unsteady step closer to the cage, and then another.

Jeanette apprehensively backed up as far as she could, pushed against the back of the cage. She flexed her fingers, cold and numb with fear. "W-what are you doing?" she breathed. Her lips were cracked, her mouth and throat had gone dry, and Jeanette felt as though she could not breathe fast enough. Her heart hammered against her ribcage, as if sought to flee like an animal before an impending disaster. Whatever that girl was going to do, it would be soon.

"Ready, Kera?" Lexi passed a shuddering breath, her whole body tensing as she straightened up. Rather than the deep purple that they normally were, her eyes had gone a vivid red, and the air around her seemed to shift and shimmer, like water brought to a boil.

Through that wavering aura, the larger form of a Digimon became visible. It was similar to that of a human woman some twelve feet tall, her skin deathly pale, her hair as white as pure moonlight, forming a long curtain down her back. A form-fitting black leather outfit covered most of her body, and one arm was noticeably larger than the other, long and clawed, beastlike. Tattered wings trailed from her back, and small sets of red eyes were visible upon a scarf trailing behind her, as well as one lithe leg. A true set of red eyes gleamed from behind a stitched mask and hood, and below them the skin of the mouth was exposed, colorless lips pulled wide across a set of vampiric fangs in a hideous grin.

The image was faded at first, transparent and flickering, but as the Lady Devimon rose from behind Lexi like an ominous shadow, her form became more solid. The brunette shuddered, her knees wobbling dangerously, and the Lady Devimon loomed forward.

"Hello," the demoness hissed, eying Jeanette. "Pleased to meet you," she gave a dark chuckle, her voice velvety yet cool. Jeanette had pressed fully against the back of the cage by now, her wide eyes fixed on Lady Devimon. She'd been afraid before, but this was nothing short of petrified. Jeanette's mind was blank, her knees weak and shaking. She sank to the ground, hoping one last feverish time that it was all just a nightmare.

"There's no need to be afraid," Lady Devimon's lips twisted with glee as she drifted closer. Her high-heeled feet touched down lightly on the floor just outside the cage, and she looked down at the prisoner. "There will be no place for that soon. As long as you're obedient there is nothing to fear," She leaned close now, inches from the bars, her voice quiet and silky smooth. "As nothing out there will be able to stop us."

Her more human hand reached through the bars, reaching for Jeanette, as the fallen angel's form flickered again.

"Kyoko..." Jeanette murmured, curling tightly into a ball, pressing harder still against the metal and as far from Lady Devimon as possible. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and her breathing was jarred by soft sobs.

Jeanette felt a faint touch against her forearm, and a cold presence spread from there. It wasn't just across her skin, she could feel it _underneath_ as well. Her eyes jerked open and she saw Lady Devimon's hand reaching slowly _in_ to her arm. Crying out, Jeanette tried to jerk away, but her arm seemed fixed in place, and suddenly a whole tide of the same bone-deep cold engulfed her.

Every inch of Jeanette's body cried out in agony as Lady Devimon seemed to merge with her. She flailed and cried out, thrashing against her restraints, but even if not for the cage, there was no escaping this. "Noooooooo!" she screamed, thrashing about, lashing at the fading form of Lady, but her blows fell upon nothing as the last of her hair, ankles, and wings disappeared into Jeanette.

The last thing Jeanette heard was the echoes of her own terrified scream, before she flopped limply against the cold stone floor of the cell. The blackness licking at the edges of her vision became a full curtain, and she knew no more.

-

Lexi was doubled over, breathless. "D-did it work?" she managed to squeeze out in between pants, forcing herself straight. She winced, clutching her side. Kera was nearly as bad going out as she was coming in. She limped over to a nearby table and leaned heavily on it, still trying to catch her breath.

"So that's what it looks like, huh?" Led drummed her fingers on her hip.

"Yeah," said Lexi, straightening a little more. She felt... almost empty now. She'd been stuck playing host to Kera for months, always carrying out the handmaiden's agenda, never having a moment to herself. The silence, the serenity within her mind, she hadn't known this kind of peace that entire time. It was like having the weight of the world gone from her shoulders at long last. She smiled, her head leaning back and her eyes partially closed.

It was almost enough to make her forget that she'd condemned another to this in her place, but Lexi was certain that much longer of this and she'd have gone mad. Putting up with Kera round the clock was someone else's job now.

"I guess we should get her out of there," said Led, folding her arms. "I'm guessing Kera won't be happy if she wakes up still in chains and a cage."

"Kera's _never_ happy," Lexi said, a bit of a bitter smirk playing through her smile. She walked back away from the cage, toward the center shaft, and stared up it. Rain still fell in thick curtains, and even as Lexi watched, lightning flashed across the sky once again. As the thunder rumbled, she turned to the cage.

"Ugh," Led grunted, struggling with the cage's lock and a heavy ring of numerous keys. "Fifty-fricking-thousand keys," she spat, spinning through the ring with vitriol. She tried another key. This one at least went into the lock, but wouldn't turn. "None of these keys are even labeled – ugh!" She cursed loudly at another wrong key, and flipped through some more keys, looking for one that seemed lucky or familiar. "Hey Lexi, can you give me a hand with this?

"One sec," Lexi said in an oddly quiet voice. She was walking back across the room, her boots sounding dully against the thick carpeting. Her eyes took in the sight of Led struggling with the lock, but Lexi moved almost as if in a trance, for her mind had been consumed with a single possibility.

Escape. Lexi hadn't really given it much thought until this very moment, which, she thought, her heart pounding fast against her ribs once more, was probably her one shot at pulling it off. Kera had no chance to take precautions to make good on her threat to keep Lexi even after gaining a new host, and as her _new_ host was still unconscious from the shock, would be unable to do anything now. That just left...

"Hey, c'mon," Led said, turning to look over her shoulder at Lexi, but at that instant a heavy hardcover book came crashing down on her head. The mercenary fell to the ground with a cry of surprise, and Lexi struck with the book twice more just to be sure.

Backing away, Lexi let the book fall with a clatter. _It's now or never, girl!_ she thought to herself, her fingers curling and uncurling nervously. She ran to the stairs, and cast one last fleeting look at the two unconscious tamers she was leaving behind, her gaze lingering on the blonde. "I'm sorry," she said, before charging up the wooden spiral staircase, two at a time.

Lexi hurtled into the room beyond, through the field of tables and chairs that composed the eating area, and to the counter where the refrigerator and cupboards were. Leaned against the wall there was her naginata, which she grabbed and slung the strap over her shoulder.

She ran back across the room, pausing briefly to look up the skylight. The storm hadn't let up a bit. _I guess I have to hope this makes things easier, not harder,_ she thought, striding the rest of the way across the room to the broad, circular door. Lexi touched the gem set in its center, and the stonework, inlaid with ornate metal, shifted and split open.

Turning around, Lexi imagined she half-expected to see a squad of troops looming behind her, ready to beat her up and take her to the dungeon on the bottom floor of the spire, but there was nothing. So far, no one was any wiser. Steeling herself, Lexi sprinted through the doors, into a tunnel carved out of the rock.

The tunnel zig-zagged back and forth, with Lexi pushing off at each corner, desperate for every shred of speed, every millimeter further away from the pain and confinement. At last she could hear the constant patter of the rain outside, and after a final bend, the cave yawned wide.

Lexi hurtled out from the underbrush concealing the tunnel as if the very demons of hell were behind her, which was pretty close to the truth. She didn't know how long it would take them to get it together and come after her, only that they would.

The minute she passed outside the thick torrents of rain soaked her, plastering her hair to her scalp and the back of her neck, and seeping through her armor to her skin. It also limited her visibility, it was hard to see more than a quarter of a mile in any direction of the forest. As she ran, the muddy ground gave way beneath her foot, sending Lexi sprawling to her knees, but her adrenaline was going now. After sliding a little more as she tried to get her feet back under her, Lexi was upright and off again, running for her life...

* * *

><p><strong>Kusanagi Plains, Northern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Night stretched like a cool blanket across a secluded northern valley, the inky expanse dotted by countless stars. The moon stood high above, shining down with its full glory upon the lush grassy landscape dotted by a number of trees and the small cluster of dwellings surrounded by a wall set against the end of the valley.

Many would elect this late hour to sleep, and even most of those who did not would still find discomfort in the absence of the sun's blazing glory, bringing light, life, and warmth to all below. Yet a lone figure strode serenely up the valley floor, following a dirt path overgrown with grasses no longer kept tamed.

The figure was undaunted by the night, in fact she enjoyed this lot of time more than she did the day. What was so great about the sun? It was _too_ bright, you couldn't appreciate the beauty. The moon, on the other hand, was more gentle in its radiance.

As she slowed to a stop beyond the outer wall, she passed from under the nighttime shade of a large ash and into the moon's light. The human girl's hair sparkled in the silvery light, the hair itself silver, long and smooth if simple in style. Blue eyes blinked in bemusement as they passed over the tiny village, really nothing more than a few dwellings for the use of those who tended the shrine.

Or at least, those who _had_ tended the shrine. The fountain was choked with green growth, and creepers had likewise extended along the walls of the buildings. The stone paths were speckled with weeds cracking through, and the curved wooden architecture of several of the structures had begun to rot and crumble. One even appeared a stiff breeze away from collapsing, and it could not be plainer that she was the first to set foot in this place in many, many years.

That fact weighed her heart with sadness, yet as she looked to the highest building in the lot, it lightened once more. Spring entered her step as she made her way through the village, remembering the happier times before climbing the steps to the shrine. Even the place of worship had not been completely spared by the ravages of time and inattention, but the most important facet within the small, open-walled shrine seemed untouched.

A statue of the great Moon Goddess Digimon Dianamon stood atop a pedestal adorned in moonburst shapes, her sleek white armor bearing similar etching, hand raising her twin-scythed staff toward the night sky. Though the statue was no larger than she who stood before it, the girl nonetheless knelt in reverence.

A D-Vector was unclipped from the waistband of a pair of black shorts, placed before the girl as if it were an offering. The D-Vector's main surface was silver, while the buttons were iridescent and pearly. Her hands interlaced in her lap, and the girl spoke.

_The night, the sun rested at night,  
>He does not grace her with his light,<br>Those who seek to harm in time of night,  
>Commit atrocities hidden from sight,<br>Propagate ways of ruin and blight,  
>Infect with fear all in sight,<br>Know the moon's defenders stalk the night!_

No sooner did the last word leave her lips than did the sound of a creak above unleash a shining shaft of moonlight upon the statue of Dianamon. With a resounding click the torso of it snapped open, revealing that with which the girl had parted once before.

A slender hand reached into the cavity, fingers taking hold around the familiar grip of the heavy firearm drawn from within. The six-chambered revolver was made of dark metal, reflecting just a hint of the moon's full brightness still shining upon it. The grip and the trim of the chamber were lighter in color, and had the phases of the moon carved into them as well. The girl moved it through the air experimentally, and the hand that had felt too light before now felt just right, the gun moving as a fluid extension of the hand as it was aimed at arm's length, a blue eye gazing down the sights.

She seemed satisfied, and slid the firearm into her waistband while making sure she didn't accidentally brush the hammer. Then her hands reached into the alcove again, drawing a large egg that could only be a Digitama from within. It wasn't that the smooth ovoid was any less important to her, but rather that the revolver could be set aside more quickly and allow her to turn her full attention to the egg.

Resting it on her hip, the girl held it close with one hand and lovingly stroked the smooth, cold surface. She could almost feel the life stirring faintly within, a presence so missed. "Wake up, Luna-chan," the girl said quietly, then holding the Digitama up and into the shaft of moonlight. The response was almost immediate, a faint shiver going through the egg as it then warmed in the girl's hands.

The girl lowered the egg, holding it close as she turned to leave the shrine. There was a long ways to go, she had best get the journey started. But a second shudder from her partner reminded the girl of something. "Oh, right!" she said, shaking her head, partially to clear it, partially at the realization that it needed such clearing in the first place. She reached down and plucked the D-Vector back up from the floor, before clipping it to her belt again. With that, she set off, the sparse silvery light and cool darkness of night enveloping her once more.

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	21. Chapter 21

**Day Break**

* * *

><p><strong>Outpost Blight, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Jeanette rolled over, one bleary eye opening to survey the room. She was curled up on a large, comfortable bed in a lavishly decorated room she didn't recognize. _Was it all... just a nightmare?_ she thought, as everything came rushing back. She sat up with a gasp, her heart thudding loudly in her chest.

"Your nightmare has just begun," a voice hissed. Jeanette jumped and squeaked, for it sounded like the words had been spoken inches from her ear. Panicking and paler than usual, Jeanette turned, but saw nothing.

"Kyoko? Artemis?" she called out. She didn't recognize this place, but the architecture did look vaguely like that place from her dream.

"Your friends will never find this place," the same voice said, and a phantasmal form appeared in front of Jeanette. It was the same leather clad she-witch from before. The reality of it came back in full force; the pain, the despair, the moment the Lady Devimon had made contact.

"Dégage!" screeched Jeanette, grabbing the nearest thing at hand and throwing it. The pillow simply sailed through however, and landed lightly on the ground behind Kera. Jeanette wasn't entirely certain how she knew that name, but it came to mind the moment she wondered about it.

On all fours Jeanette scuttled backwards, desperate to put any distance between her and the fallen angel. But with a flicker she was no longer in front of Jeanette, now behind her instead, beside the edge of the bed. "You cannot escape me," Kera murmured, while running a hand along the side of Jeanette's face. Even though the hand was as transparent as before, Jeanette could _feel_ the fingertips on her cheek.

"Don't touch me!" she yelped, twisting away.

The Lady Devimon straightened up, regarding Jeanette and chuckling heartily. "Don't you remember what happened before you passed out, girl? You see, I have a rather uncommon ability among Digimon, in that I can possess humans to be used as hosts. Lexi was my previous host, a role you now fulfill instead."

A drop of cold fear slid down into Jeanette's stomach. Possessed? By a Digimon? How was that even possible? Was that how that girl had been using Digimon powers? "Yes, that's correct," said Kera, prompting another chill, and then giving a high, hair-raising laugh. "I can channel my powers as a Digimon through a host, as well as fortifying their body overall. What you see before you is just a projection, for I dwell within your body now."

Jeanette drew her knees tightly to her chest and looked around the room. She recognized the double doors at the other end of the room from the study she'd been confined in earlier, and she could see that her D-Vector had been placed on the table next to the bed.

"So someone else wants zee power of my digisoul?" Jeanette growled through clenched teeth, glaring at Kera even though she knew it was just a fake. "To strengthen your army, just like zat commander?"

"Indeed," said Kera. "Oh," she said lightly, a grin of amusement twisting her pale lips. "Where are my manners? I am Kera, a Handmaiden of Lady Erya, servant of the Dark Lord Vakner. I am assigned to ferret out tamers with powerful Digisouls." She waved her hand through the air, and suddenly the room around Jeanette dissolved.

Jeanette found herself in a much larger room, dimly lit as though deep underground. The chamber was roughly diamond-shaped, the walls and vaulted ceiling were stone, while the floor was intricate tile. Statues and tapestries, all dark in symbolism, things like nightmarish Digimon and burning cities, lined the walls. A large throne, some twenty feet tall, stood at one end of the room, framed by braziers that burned with black fire. It appeared to be carved of dark rock, bearing skull motifs from various species of Digimon.

The size of the throne was explained by the great demon standing before it, his towering frame made even larger by the great purple wings spreading from his broad, heavily muscled frame. His bestial muzzle, long claws, and dark hide gave the impression of a bear on its hind legs, but his eyes burned red and wicked horns curved from the top of his head. Spikes on his shoulders looked like gleaming teeth, facing inward, and a vivid red tattoo was visible on his chest. Bands of chain circled his forearms and thighs, and as Jeanette watched, the great Demon reared back and _roared_. The sound was terrible, somehow managing to hit every pitch from the grating scrape of fingernails on a chalkboard, to the concussion of an over the top car stereo.

Even knowing it was an illusion, Jeanette clapped her hands over her ears. Grimacing painfully at the sound, she stood, and even as the beast fell silent, the echo of his roar continued in the chamber.

"Our master," Kera said. "Lord Vakner, the greatest Digimon who will ever live. Such is this Belphemon's rage that the very Digial World once trembled at his name. But..." She trailed off with an angry hiss.

Undead and demon Digimon of all different sorts materialized around Vakner, surging forth into the room. But they broke like water on rock, as eight figures stood against them. As Jeanette watched, four Digimon held off the never-ending tide of the Dark Army, while the remaining four figures marched toward Vakner. They were humans, tamers, each holding a D-Vector, their whole bodies wreathed in light.

Each tamer's aura was a different color, and Jeanette realized they must have been channeling their Digisouls. They were all teenagers at most, two boys, two girls. Both young men were tall and slender, with brown hair, yet one wore glasses and the other seemed more athletic in build. One of the girls had black hair and distinctly Asian features, while the other seemed fair, almost pale, as though she rarely saw the sun.

They marched unwaveringly forward, their partners covering them from the dark army's minions. Vakner growled, his lips pulled back to show a drooling, fang-lined maw. Yet as black fire ignited around him, licking at the chains on his body, each tamer held up their D-Vector, and a bolt of brilliant light shot out. One after another the bolts struck the Belphemon, and he howled in pain as tendrils of rainbow light spread from each point of impact, soon cocooning his entire body.

The chamber was fading now, as though the lights were dimming, and the last thing Jeanette heard was a prolonged cry of agony and despair that sounded as though it came from down a long tunnel. Then it went abruptly silent, and with a lurch, Jeanette found herself back on the bed.

"That was the end of the final battle a thousand years ago," said Kera, a scowl evident even through her mask. "Those four tamers were able to use the power of their Digisouls to seal our master's might, trapping him in his sleep mode, leaving his troops weakened and leaderless. Though his power stirs, his true greatness is still imprisoned. The same power that sealed Lord Vakner..."

"Can free 'im," Jeanette gasped, clutching her chest. She took a deep, shuddering breath, for she'd begun to realize that she could _feel_ Kera's mind, and knew as the demoness had voiced it what their plan was. "You need my Digisoul, strong as it eez supposed to be, to undo zere work."

"Indeed," Kera nodded. "I'm glad to see you catch on so quickly," her tone was silky, yet snide. "While his bindings have worn over time, it will be millennia before the cursed seal will finally wear thin enough for him to break free."

There was a knock at the large wooden door, and a Digimon entered. Though of roughly human shape, this Digimon was long and spindly, so thin he appeared to hardly ever eat, while his arms were so long his wrists were nearly even with his ankles. He seemed to have the same liking for black leather that Kera did, with only his mouth and eyes exposed. Large horns protruded from the sides of his head, and he saluted Jeanette with a forearm held horizontally across his chest.

The tips of his slender fingers clipped a pedestal beside the door, briefly causing the ornate vase upon to wobble before he managed to steady it. "It is good to see you awake, Kera," he said, prompting Jeanette to scowl. "I regret to inform you that Alexis was able to escape. She incapacitated Led after you left her body. We have a team searching for her now."

Jeanette could feel Kera's seething anger at this news, and it almost seemed to bleed over, until Jeanette felt that same anger. She couldn't imagine _why_, it simply did, which scared her. Just what was she in for?

"_Little whelp, running off like that... _" Kera mused. "_Ask him where Led is."_

_Make me,_ Jeanette thought hotly.

"_**ASK**__!"_ Kera's will felt like a great, inescapable weight pressing down on Jeanette, until the girl gave a little whimper and doubled over.

"Where eez Led now?" Jeanette asked, slightly breathless.

"We thought that you might wish to punish her for her carelessness," the Devimon said. "She is in the cage now. I will return later when you are ready." The fallen angel saluted again, careful of the pot this time, and then left.

"_Good,"_ Kera now seemed to feel satisfaction, but Jeanette was busy hoping that her first duty as a tamer in the Dark Army wasn't going to be acting as Kera's tool to exact the punishment. Then again... Jeanette remembered Led's taunting glee at her imprisonment.

_Who will be laughing now?_ she thought, scowling. Her mind continued to drift, but it found no place pleasant to settle, simply tumbling down a hill that never seemed to end. She found herself thinking of Kyoko. _How could you...?_

Kera's soft chuckle caused the hairs on the back of Jeanette's neck to stick up, and the Lady Devimon's face once more twisted with fiendish glee. "I nearly captured her once," she said. "But her Digisoul's power was merely average, so along with my previous host, I simply left a few... suggestions. A back door, if you will. I believe that's what your kind calls similar functions you build into computers. Ironic, no? When the opportunity came up later to use her to capture you, who became our real target, Alexis took it. I must admit, I was rather impressed... such a delightfully fiendish move, to turn a girl against her friend!"

"Quiet!" spat Jeanette, leaning forward and glaring at Kera, even though she knew to an outside observer she was shouting at no one. "You foul leetle _witch_! You made 'er do it! She... she said she'd protect me!"

Kera made a noise that might have been contempt, or amusement. "Is that so?" she said softly. "She can't have wanted to do it that badly, or else she would have been better able to resist Evil Whisper's influence. No... she had her own reasons, for her own benefit. Even if she said she did it for you, she did it to make herself feel better. Perhaps you reminded her of someone... or something she had to atone for."

_She's lying... trying to mess with my head_ Jeanette thought, her hands clamping over her ears, though it could not deaden the sound of the handmaiden's voice in the least. Kyoko _wasn't_ like that. She wasn't cold like Artemis, wasn't demanding like her father. She didn't mock Jeanette for her ineptitude, introverted nature, or even her narcolepsy.

"And of your partner?" Kera said. "Do you hope for _her_ to come to your rescue instead? Did you not come to this world to escape the pestilent chill of your father? What good is a partner two degrees warmer?"

Jeanette could barely restrain a sob, and rocked in place, hugging her knees. Kera seemed to be able to rifle through her thoughts with startling ease, able to grab onto any thread that passed through Jeanette's mind and examine it more closely. Like any problem however, a toothache, or an impending exam, trying not to think about it, only made Jeanette dwell more on t it, giving Kera more chances to peer into her new host's mind.

"I will _never_ work for you," Jeanette growled, her teeth clenched so hard her jaw hurt. "Vakner can stay sealed, and your grand Dark Army can ROT!"

"Alexis was once defiant, as you are," Kera said, looming closer. "But it's only a matter of time. I can offer you things you could never get, championing the banner of that failing kingdom, fighting the _good_," Her lips twisted with amusement at that word, making at it sound like it was something that only small, naïve children believed in. "Fight. You, of all tamers, hold _so much_ power, yet you squander it..."

-

**Near Outpost Blight, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus**

Night had passed and dawn had come, but search party Manticore could not tell the difference. Black clouds still roiled overhead in an endless blanket, occasionally lit by flashes of lightning all the while pouring lashing waves of rain down upon the forest.

It was certainly unpleasant weather for the search team to deal with. Two Gazimon were soaked to their skin, their gray fur drenched and plastered to their hide, and the mud stuck to their long, black claws. Their ears remained sharp however, and their tails, with leather belts wrapped around the tips, twitched eagerly.

A Nanimon stood at the center of the group, a rather odd figure with a body and head like a big beach ball, two arms, and two legs. He was muscular and his human-like skin looked tan, and he wore red leather boots and gloves. He had a full mustache and beard of bushy black hair, currently as soaked as the Gazimon, and also wore a pair of sunglasses despite the complete lack of sunlight.

Two Gizamon pressed on ahead, cackling eagerly like a pair of gleeful hyenas. Their amphibious bodies were better adapted to the near swamplike conditions, with webbing between their clawed feet, rubbery skin, and waxy fur. They moved in leaps like frogs, but unlike frogs had a row of razor-sharp spines trailing down their backs.

Bringing up the rear was a humanoid covered in fine purple scales, though his face was white in color. He had green eyes and pointed ears like horns, and wore a red bandana around his neck. He wore gloves, also red, each hand having but two fingers and a thumb. Last of note was his tail, somewhat stubby like the rest of him, but ending in a point like an arrowhead.

The Impmon, designated Manticore Six for this mission, was _not_ happy to be out in this weather. If he needed to fight, it would be hard to shoot a fireball very far before the rain simply doused it. Grumbling under his breath, Six tried to stick to the grassier areas, where the ground wasn't quite as muddy.

Six blinked, squinting through the thick sheets of rain, for he thought he'd seen a shadow of movement on the far side of the clearing. It disappeared again almost as fast, but he was about to call out to his team when he was interrupted.

"Stupid hew-mon," growled one of the Gazimon, shaking himself. As the rain was still coming down thick and fast, it didn't keep the moisture from his coat for long. "Taking off in weather like this, making us go chase her."

"What do we need her back for, anyways?" said the other. "One partnerless tamer can't possibly get far." The one advantage of the weather was that it made their quarry leave very clear signs of her passage, and the six had been able to follow Lexi's muddy footprints the entire way since she'd fled the base.

Nanimon grabbed that Gazimon's tail and twisted it sharply. "Dumb dumb!" he barked. "Do _you_ want to be the one to explain to Kera that a little bit of mud and rain made us gave up and just _assume_ that a human who knows about our safehouses, troop movements, and the topography of our home territory couldn't survive?" He squeezed the rabbit Digimon's tail, making him squeal in pain.

"N-no..." the Gazimon hissed through clenched teeth.

"I didn't think so," Nanimon said boisterously, letting go. "Any sign of her, boys?" he called forward to the Gizamon.

"No, ssssir," hissed one of them. "Still just her tracks."

"Which way is she heading?" said one Gazimon. "This is... east?"

"She wouldn't go _deeper_ into our territory, stupid!" snapped the other Gazimon. "This is south."

"It's _west_," Six spoke up, rolling his eyes. They were currently crossing a field, though they were reaching the tree canopy on the other side once more. Now, they could follow human-sized disturbances in the underbrush as well as tracks. "Besides, she'll have to stop and rest eventually. Humans aren't tough like we Digimon are. We'll find her."

"Especially in the Dark Army," Nanimon piped up. "No wusses here! And evil triumphs, because good is dumb!"

The occasional rumble of thunder, the gentle, constant patter of raindrops on the canopy, Six found it soothing. It was almost enough to make him forget what the team was out there to do. His species even tended to like it dark, and the sun was completely blocked by the storm clouds.

He looked up however, seeing that the group had come to a halt. The Gizamon were looking around in confusion. "Hey, what's going on?" grunted Nanimon, marching up behind them. "What're we stoppin' for – Oh." Six jogged to catch up, and then frowned.

"Her tracks split here?" the Impmon muttered, confused. Sure enough, he could see one set of tracks going to the right of a large, crooked oak tree, and another set going to the left.

"Stupid hew-mon," grunted one Gazimon. "How did she do that?"

"It's a trick, obviously, marshmallows for brains," Nanimon stomped his foot angrily. "She can't have just split up like that."

"Of course," said Six, in a clipped tone of voice. "How about we just pick one? If it's a fake trail, we can double back and follow the other. She can't get far in a few minutes."

"Don't be ridiculous," Nanimon planted his hands on his hips and gave a deep, rolling belly laugh. "Five and six, you're with me. We'll go left. Two, take three and four and go right. Spread out and search the area!"

* * *

><p>A painful stitch burned in Lexi's side, and her legs felt like rubber. Her hands were raw, and looking back, she hadn't known what wet was when she'd first exited the cave. She was freezing cold, splattered in mud, and would've been very, very happy if she found herself in a desert right about now. Her throat ached from inhaling the cool, moist air, and even her lungs hurt from the exertions.<p>

She hadn't expected the pursuit to catch up to her this quickly, and her achilles tendon burned as she tried to pick up the pace. _I just gotta hope they buy that fake trail..._ She'd left prints leading toward hard ground, and then went another way instead, toward a some exposed rocks on a creek's ledge.

Lexi followed the creek downstream, grateful for the pounding rain muting the sound of her splashing through the area. _I've got to find a way to shake them off,_ she thought desperately, deciding she'd spent enough time in the creek and slogging back up onto the bank. To her astonishment, she felt even wetter than before, though at least some of the mud was gone.

Flopping down in the shadow of a large tree, Lexi allowed herself a moment's respite. The thick canopy helped keep her mostly dry, though it did nothing to protect her from the cold nip of the wind. She needed to rest, just for a little while. _At least Kera's not with them,_ she thought grimly. Lexi's purple eyes looked down at the palm of her right hand, remembering all the times it had channeled the demoness's powers.

Being able to fly, throw whips of chain, and summon clouds of rabid bats certainly would have come in handy right now. All she had was her Naginata now, still slung across her back, and the armor Kera had her wear.

"No – wonder I'm – so tired," Lexi panted between breaths, her slick hands fumbling for the buckles and straps holding the chainmail in place. Her flight had been so spontaneous she hadn't even thought to ditch the armor, a mistake now that she thought of it. Without the added encumbrance of the alloyed steel and chrome digizoid, maybe she would have been able to outrun the search party, or at least wouldn't be so exhausted now.

The mud-spattered armor slid from her body and flopped to the ground, leaving Lexi with the leather underarmor, pants and a tunic, she wore beneath it. It would provide her at least some protection, while weighing a lot less.

Lexi swallowed roughly, still panting for breath as if she'd never be able to catch it again. Cupping her hands, she held them out until they filled with rainwater, which she drained in two gulps. Drinking only seemed to make her aware how thirsty she was, and it was several more handfuls before she was satisfied. Not to be left out, her stomach rumbled with hunger. "Quiet, you," grumbled Lexi, slumping against the tree again.

Where was she going? It was hard to think now, so used to considering this entire area enemy territory. There had to be a town nearby that she could take shelter in. _If they'll have me..._ Lexi thought bitterly, thinking of all the damage she'd done to the kingdom. She may well be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. If the half-corrupt and terribly overstretched government didn't deal with her, someone else with a taste for medieval justice might. _I'll have to make them understand,_ she thought, glancing at the D-Vector strapped to her wrist.

A little gasp slipped out. The predominant black on the device's smooth casing was changing in color, giving way to a moderate shade of blue, bit by bit, like black paint was slowly flaking off. Blue and orange had been the device's original color, before Kera had warped it, as she had warped Lexi. The sight made her smile, an expression that felt almost foreign now.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" The raspy shout nearly made Lexi jump out of her skin, and it was fortunate that a rumble of thunder smothered any sound of her sharp gasp. Looking in the direction of the voice, she saw a spine-backed amphibian waddling in her general direction. Quietly as she could, Lexi slid away, but then as the Gizamon drew even nearer, she froze in a bush, afraid that any more noise would lead the beast right to her.

_Go away_, Lexi thought frantically. _Nothing to see here. No fugitive tamers hiding in the bushes. Shoo, shoo!_ But looking down, her heart fell. She forgot about the discarded armor, lying traitorously near the tree, mere feet from Gizamon.

Lexi looked back the way the amphibian had come, but saw no one else. They must have split up further upon losing her trail. The Gizamon gave a snuffling sound. "Heeey..." he said slowly, sitting back on his haunches and looking around. His beady eyes fixed on a spot ten feet to Lexi's right, and he slowly moved forward, one cautious, stalking step at a time.

Silently Lexi unslung her naginata, and simply waited as Gizamon crept closer to whatever it was he thought he saw. Any second... any second...

Lexi surged to her feet, and the naginata's honed edge gleamed in a flash of lightning. With a cry the bladed polearm came cleaving down on Gizamon, who had just enough time to look up, eyes wide, before the blade cut deeply into his shoulder.

He gave a rasping gurgle of pain. "Wah – Water - " he began, turning toward Lexi and preparing an attack. But Lexi gripped the slippery shaft of her weapon and swung again, and again, each blow punctuated by a cry of pain before the Gizamon collapsed unmoving. Then his data began to leak from his wounds, bit by bit, until nothing remained.

Lexi leaned on her naginata for support, feeling a renewed surge of adrenaline. "One down, five to go," she said. Perhaps she could wear them down while they were spread out. She didn't like her chances if any of them started evolving, but maybe it was time to make them fear her again, as they had when she'd been host to Kera.

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	22. Chapter 22

**Last Stand**

* * *

><p><strong>Road to Arcwater, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Kyoko huffed and leaned back against the stonework beside the bench, watching the stormy skies through the narrow slit of a window in the side of the watch tower that overlooked the road. "The weather kinda fits, doesn't it?" murmured Kyoko, idly petting the head of Bolter, who was dozing in her lap.

"Yeah," Cyrus agreed, seated at the table and playing solitaire with himself. Originally intent on heading east to deliver new orders from Valdor to the fort commander at Arcwater, they'd been delayed when a fierce storm set in. The tower had made decent shelter, originally erected to protect traders along the road from bandits. Now it served most often as a rest stop for messengers, and was usually manned by at least a handful of soldiers. The quartet rested in a small room midway up the tower, plain if adequate shelter. "This area's received a lot of rain already... much more and roads might start washing out... towns might be in danger."

"That would be great," grumbled Hang, taking a break from grooming herself. "Having to worry about saving helpless little Culumon from floods instead of fighting the dark army."

"Or looking for lost friends," Cyrus's lips crinkled in frustration as he drew another unhelpful card from the deck. "And all of this after the kingdom just started diverting resources to rebuilding the destroyed bridges."

"But Culumon are cute!" Kyoko said, nonetheless curling up, feeling cold. She rubbed at the goosebumps rippling along her arms, and found her thoughts drifting to the same place they had been so often lately.

_Net-chan... I'll get you back, even if it kills me!_Thinking about it made her feel nauseous, and Bolter kept making fun of her for not eating much anymore, but Kyoko just didn't feel hungry. She just sat there, staring at the plate, thinking of the ones who should be there...

"I suppose they'll also need to divert resources to protecting the bridges," Hang said. "So they don't just blow 'em up again."

"That's the real trick," Cy said slowly, continuing his card game. "You can't win a war just by defending. You can't protect all your assets with your full force, and it gives the opponent too much freedom to hit you where you're weakest, chipping away, until it's all over." Cyrus blinked down at the spread of cards before him and grumbled, realizing he was stuck.

"And you tell me to watch my mouth," Hang teased lightly, the little ferret-like Digimon winking at her tamer. "Say, did you ever talk to those other three tamers, Cy?"

"Before we left," said Cyrus, collecting the cards and giving them a very thorough shuffle in the hopes of better luck next time. "But Zander and Koro weren't interested, and neither was Colin. As for Katsumura, she never really answered..."

"I'm not sure why that worm of hers keeps making excuses for her..." grumbled Hang. "And why didn't the others want to come along? Safety in numbers, plus the more darkies we kill out here, the less there are to attack us back home."

Cyrus chuckled and shrugged as he laid out the cards before him once again. "Maybe fighting another world's war didn't seem like their idea of a good time."

"It's not stopping you," Hang observed, smiling slightly.

"I guess," said Cyrus, looking faintly abashed. He rubbed his shoulder and winced, still recovering from their brush with the bandits and the dark tamers that followed. "Tamers have the power to make a difference," he said, drawing a ten of hearts and then eying the spread before him. "People have been suffering here for centuries, as the borders get pushed in. Break the cycle, and bring the world to a brighter day."

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," said Hang, and the door creaked wide. In strode a Digimon with a rather lurid color scheme, with magenta scales on her bipedal body, wearing a pale lilac pelt with darker, tiger-like like stripes of purple across it, green claws on her hands and feet, and a single sharp horn protruding from her forehead.

She snapped Cyrus and Hang a salute, Kyoko realized for their affiliation with the Exalibur. "The last of our scouts just reported in. No tamers matching your friend's description, and no Strabimon either."

Kyoko sighed and said nothing, continuing to stare out the window as another flash of lighting surged across the darkened sky.

"I didn't say there wasn't anything to report," the Psychemon went on, with a half-glance at Kyoko. "He didn't get a very close look, but one of them reported some kind of disturbance to the southwest. He thought it looked like a dark army squad, moving like they were on a mission, and talked about being after someone."

Kyoko sat up with the speed of the lightning flash she'd just observed, looking now at the reporting soldier with undivided attention. "Maybe Net-chan escaped and they're after her."

"It could be Artemis, even," Cyrus said reasonably. He exchanged a glance with Hang, and neither of them wanted Kyoko to get her hopes up unnecessarily. "I wish I knew what happened to her... if the dark army had any use for her, they'd have taken her too. So where did she go?"

"Off to find her tamer?" offered the Psychemon. "I've... never had a tamer, so I don't know what it's like. But if someone took mine from me... I wouldn't rest until I got them back."

"Wish she'd let us come along and help," Kyoko said, rubbing her nose a little and sounding hoarse. She gave Bolter a tight squeeze, and the slumbering Lopmon stirred. "Especially if she has some way of tracking Net-chan..."

"That _is_the kind of determination Artemis has, though," Cyrus said thoughtfully, looking at the Psychemon. "It's almost more like a duty, an obsession rather than affection, but... she's really serious about taking care of Jeanette."

Kyoko tapped her foot, shifting anxiously and looking out the window, but Hang recognized the look on her face and shook her head. "I know you want to go and look, Kyoko," the Kudamon said slowly. "But we'll get nowhere fast in this weather. We'll head out as soon as it improves." Seeing Kyoko's hardening expression, she added quickly, "We're no good to Jeanette if we get lost or swept away before we can even find her."

Kyoko's hands balled into frustrated fists, but after a moment, and several deep breaths, she nodded. Some of the tension seemed to bleed out of her. "You're right," she said, though somewhat gruffly. Once Cyrus had snapped her out of staring at the wall of the Moonbrook Inn in despair, the temptation had been strong, very strong, to go out there and not both with such trivialities as rest and food. But the brunette knew that Hang was right. They still had to be smart about this, get it done right. Being hasty would get _them_into trouble too, and then who would rescue Jeanette?

"You'll need some supplies before you go," Psychemon said. "I know we're still in our home territory, but there's still a lot of ground to cover in the wilderness. I'll see what I can put together for you."

Cyrus nodded, smiling pleasantly at the helpful soldier. "We'd be grateful," he said. "Also, we'll something more specific about the region the disturbance was in."

"Of course," said Psychemon. "I'll make sure to include a map of the area."

"Thanks," said Hang, scooping a small, strange-looking fruit from the bowl in the middle of the table and biting into it. Cyrus looked quizzically at it, not recognizing it as any Earth-based analog, but smiling as Hang took a juicy bite and made a sound of satisfaction.

"Some of the Digimon seem to really look up to you," said Kyoko, looking at Cyrus after the Psychemon had gone.

"I guess," he said, fidgeting a little and turning his eyes back toward his card game. "Their beliefs... kinda run the gamut. Some are... well, like Rathar. They view humans as a nuisance to be stomped out, or worse, something to be exploited. Intelligence reports indicate that not every dark tamer serves Vakner voluntarily. Others are like Valdor, or that Psychemon. They see the value in humans, as friends, as equals, and some even look up to us in the hope that we can save the world, like the ones from the old legends." He resumed play, and his expression brightened as everything began to fall into place. "Some haven't made up their minds just yet... there aren't a lot of humans yet, but more arrive every week, it feels like. A lot more than last time, when it was just a handful. Ha," he said, looking happily at the spread of cards, before moving them again. "I win."

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forest, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

The storm's intensity hadn't abated in the slightest for those out in it. Grateful that the Gizamon would leave no remains for his comrades to find, Lexi hobbled off, hoping she could slip away from the search party. Again, she wondered where she could possibly go from here. At present, even a Chronian dungeon had its appeal compared to _this_.

But Lexi shook her head and ran a slick hand over her face, clearing the mixed rainwater and sweat. She could worry about that after she escaped. _Well_ if _I escape,_she thought, unable to keep the bleak thoughts from her mind. The things she'd seen and done over the last several weeks were enough to severely dampen any sort of optimism.

Opting to follow the stream, Lexi hoped that she'd be able to keep moving, and not run the risk of getting turned around. The last thing she needed was to get lost and stumbled right back into the search party. _I just have to hope they bought my ruse,_ the girl thought, starting off again. She hobbled at first, but as her momentum built up and adrenaline dulled the pain, her motions smoothed out. _If they had to spread out, it'll make things easier._

"Hey, do you hear that?" a voice spoke up from frighteningly close, and Lexi skidded to a stop. Dropping low, her purple eyes looked around in a panic, before catching a patch of silver through a gap in the bushes just to her right, away from the stream's bank. Quietly as she could, Lexi edged closer, peering through a small gap in a thorny bush.

"It was probably just thunder," grunted another voice.

"Thunder booms, it doesn't splash!"

"_Rain_, then," Lexi could practically hear the Gazimon's eyes roll, and peering through the gap, she saw him turn to look at his companion – another Gizamon. "If we checked out every little noise in the woods, we'd all be Jijimon by the time we got back! Let's go."

"Better old men then dead, if we let her slip by... if Kera doesn't kill us, the Excalibur might when they find all our bases!"

"I dunno," said the Gazimon. "All the trouble that girl caused them, Kera's host or not, she'd be worse off than us in the law's hands. Remember those bounty hunters at Silverwind Pass? They were after her personally."

Lexi was chewing her lip raw at this point, weighing her options. Wait for them to move? Try to creep off while they argued? Take them out, here and now?

"Hey," Gizamon said sharply, turning around and peering toward the bushes. "There's definitely something moving back there. Could just be a Motimon or someth-"

"Paralyze Breath!" Lexi bolted, rolling to the side, but even then she felt an electric charge crawl across her skin, making the hairs on her arm stand up. The blast of energy sizzled past her, shooting into the river with a crackle and a geyser of steam. "Whatever it is, it's stuck now. C'mon!"

Gazimon surged through the brush, grunting from the effort of getting through the brambles. Looking up, his mouth opened to utter a curse he'd never be able to finish. A flash of lightning gleamed off a subtly-curved blade as it sliced down upon his neck. His body abruptly shattered. "H-hey! What happened?" There was an unmistakable, frightened edge in the remaining Gizamon's voice.

Rather than go through the bush, as his partner had done to clearly fatal consequences, Gizamon opted to go _over_it. Using his powerful hind legs, he launched himself over the brush, and through the murk of the storm, saw Lexi. "Spiral Edge!" Tucking himself into a ball, Gizamon tumbled toward Lexi, his spines taking the lead.

Lexi cried out as the Gizamon's blades cut into her shoulder, and she stumbled backwards. Blood dribbled down her arm, the wound itself stinging and hot. The Gizamon landed and turned toward her, intending to attack again, and Lexi's weapon was out of position.

So she turned to another option, and simply stomped the amphibian menace. The Gizamon howled as the boot mashed one of his feet and struck the side of his head, but in her pained fury, Lexi only pushed harder. She wanted, as so many miserable people did, to share her bad day.

With the Gizamon pinned down, Lexi had time to get a proper grip on her naginata again, and swung it down for the fatal blow. With a final yowl that Lexi hoped very much his comrades didn't hear, Gizamon too broke apart and drifted away on the wind.

Panting, Lexi leaned heavily on the naginata. _Heavier than I remember_, she thought, before catching another handful of rainwater to soothe her raw throat. Then again, Kera's presence hadn't just enabled Lexi to use the Digimon's attacks, but it had also fortified her body.

Lexi turned back toward the river, ignoring the screaming protests of burning muscles, taut ligaments, and now the burning pain in her upper arm from Gizamon's spikes as she began to run again. _I'm. Not. Going. Back._ she thought fiercely, the determination shining through on her face, through the the cold, the mud, the pain.

* * *

><p>How long had it been since she'd managed to dispatch half the Digimon currently pursuing her? Fifteen minutes? Half an hour? An hour? Lexi didn't know. The storm didn't show the slightest sign of letting up, so using the sky beyond was out of the question, and she didn't want to look at her D-Vector and find out it had only been five minutes or something like that.<p>

Lexi's stomach rumbled with hunger, and even with the adrenaline, her energy was fading. How much longer could she keep this up before her body simply refused to cooperate any further?

Her path along the riverbank lead her to a clearing, and her heart sank as she saw three more Digimon emerging out of the woods into the same clearing. One was squat and mustachioed, another was a Gazimon like the one she'd killed before, and the last was a small humanoid, looking almost like a young, slightly silly depiction of a demon, with ears like horns and a stubby, though pointed tail.

"Hey!" yelled out the Impmon, pointing to her. "There she is!"

"Get her!" barked the Nanimon, barreling across the clearing toward Lexi. Cursing, the tamer redoubled her pace, running over a slick, rocky patch along the river. Eying the frothy stream, she figured her best chance was to cross it. It might buy her only seconds, but none of the pursuing Digimon had the best form for swimming across a storm-swollen, fast-moving stream.

But she never made it that far, for as she pivoted on the rocks, her foot slipped. Lexi fell unceremoniously to the ground, hitting her elbow on the rocks beneath her and bending her ankle in a way the joint had never been meant to move.

Panting, she felt pain, definite pain in the joint, and she could only whimper as she tried to put weight on it and stand up again. The leg quickly buckled under her, and fleeting thoughts of Lexi's escape became grim. _No way I can get away from them like this,_she thought, crouching, her naginata braced to support her. Tears of mingled pain and despair flowed onto her cheeks, as the remaining trio sent out to capture her closed in.

Lexi's head hung. She'd come all this way, so close, she felt, to finally being free of it all, it broke what was left of her heart for it to not even matter in the end. The tendons in her wrists popped as her fingers clenched tightly on her naginata, and violet fire stirred in her eyes as she set her blurred gaze upon the trio.

"Bring it!" she hissed. "You'll have to kill me!" Lexi was sobbing now, imagining Kera's pure arrogance if she had to face the demoness again, for the witch would take pleasure in breaking Lexi all over again. _No._ "Because I'm **never**going back!" Her teeth clenched, she surged upright, bringing her weapon into attack position, pushing aside the horrible pain in her ankle as it protested her weight.

Perhaps they'd thought her too weak, because her hunters reacted slowly as Lexi lunged forward. The gently-curved blade tipping the naginata swung into the air as if in salute before cleaving down on Nanimon. The boisterous Digimon cursed furiously as the steel bit deeply into his shoulder, and he hopped back out of range as Lexi struck again.

"Paralyze Breath! Paralyze breath!" The Gazimon spat twin bolts of paralyzing energy at Lexi, and at this range, there was no dodging them. The first caught her in the arm, causing the whole extremity to go immediately numb and limp. It fell slack to her side, and Lexi struggled to keep a grip on her weapon one-handed. The other struck her in her good leg, buckling it, and landing her roughly in the mud.

Gasping, Lexi struggled to get the limbs moving again, but they were uncooperative. Her fingertips could barely twitch, and she'd never be able to stand up with two uncooperative legs. She clumsily hefted the naginata one-handed, but Gazimon easily dodged the fumbling attack.

"Come on!" Lexi screamed, tears still spilling down her cheeks. They were _not_taking her alive, she had to make herself too dangerous to be captured. She glanced at her D-Vector, wondering if now might be the time for a driver, but the energy gauge was virtually empty. Her escape had taxed her, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and now she didn't have the energy for something like that.

"Nice try, girlie," said the Nanimon, waddling closer again. Apparently he felt safe in doing so, even as he stanched a flow of corrupted data from the wound to his arm with his other hand. "But I imagine Kera is going to have fun with you, once she gets adapted to her new host."

"Yeah," chuckled the Gazimon, who himself was a bit warier, staying out of Lexi's reach even as he too cackled at the crippled tamer. "Once she's disciplined Led for letting you get away in the first place."

A little bit of feeling was trickling back into Lexi's limbs, but nowhere near enough she figured to fight them off. "_Kill me!_" Lexi shrieked, setting aside her long weapon for the moment, and instead hurling a rock she'd grabbed up instead. The improvised projectile struck Nanimon dead-center in his face, and there was a _crack!_as his sunglasses broke in half, the bridge broken and the lenses shattered.

"Why you little punk!" barked the Nanimon, stalking closer with every angry syllable. Beneath the sunglasses, his skin was paler, and his eyes were small and beady. "I think I _will_oblige you after all." The yellow star on one of his gloves gleamed brightly as he powered up one of his attacks.

Suddenly, a dark shadow behind Gazimon and Nanimon shifted. Hearing something move, Gazimon looked back. His eyes widened in pure terror, and he had just enough time to scream before a long arm tipped in vicious claws bisected him.

"Eh?" Nanimon gave a confused grunt as he whirled around, wondering what had attacked the group from behind. Looking up, he saw a spindly form covered in black leather, with a pale face and red eyes behind a black, horned mask. An orange bat silhouette was visible on his chest, and a variety of black leather belts and faded, worn bandages were visible on his arms.

"Y-you!" rasped Nanimon, as the Devimon's face contorted with rage.

"Leave her _alone_," The Devimon's tone was a murderous hiss, and his wings spread wide, increasing his menacing outline. "Hell Contract!" With a swing of a long arm, a cloud of symbols appeared before the Devimon, formed of pure, dark energy. He gestured with his hand, and the energy bombarded Nanimon in one searing wave.

Coughing, the smoldering nightmare soldier toppled to the ground. "Why – you," he managed between coughs, but the Devimon was merciless.

"Death Claw!" His arm lanced out, and Nanimon too was gone.

Lexi's eyes were wide with shock as she stared upon Manticore Six, purely transfixed by what she'd just witnessed. A flash of yellow light and that little Impmon had gone, to be replaced by the towering demon before her now... and his first act had been to dispose of his now-former comrades.

His fathomless crimson eyes were wide, staring at his hands, and it seemed as if he could hardly believe what he'd just done. Yet those long, skeletal fingers slowly curled into fists. "Good riddance," Lexi heard him murmur.

The numbness of Gazimon's attacks was fading, yet the shock was holding Lexi almost as much. Was this Devimon actually on her side? Taking a shuddering breath and wiping her face on the back of her hand, Lexi barely dared to hope it could be so.

"Lexi, isn't it?" the Devimmon said, with a voice that sounded just a little too soft for a towering thing of nightmares. He took a few hesitant steps toward the kneeling tamer. "I – my name is Riku. I'm – I _was_a soldier in the dark army... until about a minute ago." When Lexi didn't draw away from him in fear, he took another step closer.

"W-what?" stammered Lexi, her voice hoarse from all that had happened, looking up at Riku. _He...? Why?_Suddenly the rain falling upon her abated as somewhat, as the Devimon spread one wing over her. The naturally-tattered membrane wasn't much of an umbrella and still let some water through, but something was better than nothing.

"I couldn't stand it anymore," Riku shook his head angrily, his eyes tightening in pain. "I joined up, to grow strong, evolve... to protect. But it was just destruction, pain, and murder. Everyone was either a recruit for our cause, or nothing. Less than life, beasts to be toyed with, tortured, wiped out." Looking toward the clouded heavens, Riku roared, of frustration, sorrow, and pain. The terrible bellow echoed back off the nearby landscape.

The sound startled Lexi, but she'd faced much worse lately, and so did not flinch away in fear. Leaning upon her naginata as a walking stick, the tamer slowly stood, looking up at the pained demon who had saved her life. "Thank you, Riku," she said, bowing as she'd been taught was proper. "For saving me."

Riku shuddered, but nodded. "Thank _you_, Lexi, for giving me the chance to save myself." Lexi blinked up at him, and seeing her confusion, Riku went on. "It isn't easy... the dark army – Vakner's Fist, as some call us – is always on the lookout for traitors in its ranks, and deserters are punished severely, but this... has been a long time coming. Serving lost its luster, but continuing on to save myself just disgusted me more. What right did I have?"

But Lexi thought she understood. She'd been through the same thing... she could have, maybe should have, done more to resist Kera. An obstinate, uncooperative host would have been disposed of, for better or worse. Instead she too had done unspeakable things. "I understand," Lexi said, as soothingly as she could manage. "I did the same thing... I even tried to let myself enjoy it sometimes, so I wouldn't go completely nuts..."

"But we're free now," said Riku, his posture straightening, yet at the same time, relaxing slightly. "Free to get as far from this war as we possibly can."

"We?" Lexi echoed, and Riku nodded.

"Unless you already have a partner?"

Lexi stiffened slightly, for the question brought up unpleasant memories. "No," Lexi said softly, her voice nearly lost in a distant rumble of thunder. The storm seemed to be clearing. "His name was Kodi," she smiled just a little. "But... he died trying to protect me from capture. Told me to run while he held them off." She hiccuped a little, trying not to cry again.

"I'm sorry," Riku murmured. "Lexi," he said suddenly. "You're bleeding." One of his long fingers pointed to her shoulder and Lexi felt her stomach lurch at the sight of blood on it.

_Of course,_she thought, cursing. The adrenaline had dulled that pain too, even as her frantic heart pumped more and more blood through her body and out of the wound. Lexi's sleeve was slick with blood, she had to stanch the wound before she lost any more.

"Here," said Riku, taking a red bandana from his bicep – just like the one Impmon wore around his neck - and tying it around the wound. His slender fingers proved apt for the delicate work, and Lexi felt that almost alien smile on her face again. "Can you walk?"

Lexi tapped her foot against the ground experimentally, but winced and shook her head. "I don't think so," she said.

"C'mon," Riku stooped down and helped Lexi up onto his back. He had to adjust his wings carefully to accommodate her, and let her loop her arms around his neck, while his arms held her legs. "I can't fly in this storm, lightning and all, but at least my legs are long. Now, let's get out of here."

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi and Riku goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	23. Chapter 23

**The Slaves of Darkness**

* * *

><p><strong>Road to Arcwater, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

"Finally," Kyoko said, as the quartet trotted out of the watchtower. The rain had finally let up into the early hours of the next morning, and now a rainbow glimmered along the horizon, spawned by the newly-minted sunlight. Her panda backpack was slung over her shoulders, and Bolter was perched atop it, his ears draped around her neck like a scarf.

Rainwater still dribbled from the trees lining the road and the road itself was a muddy, mucky mess, but Hang, Cyrus, Kyoko, and Bolter would wait no longer. Psychemon trotted out along with them. "So you're going to investigate to the southwest?"

"Yeah," said Cyrus, scrabbling onto Hang's back, for she'd evolved to Leppamon for the trip. He tugged his goggles over his eyes and glanced briefly upward. Apparently satisfied with the tinted lenses, he looked back at the reptilian. "It might be our missing friend, and Valdor's orders are everything else is secondary." He dug an envelope from his pocket, one stamped with an official-looking seal. "Can you make sure these make it to their destination?"

"Yes sir," the Psychemon said, taking the papers and saluting. "Good luck out there."

"Thanks," said Cyrus, nodding to her. She'd ensured that the tamers' packs were filled with adequate provisions for the journey, and that they had a map with the approximate position they were headed to investigate. "We'll probably need it..." he muttered. "C'mon Kyoko," he said, reaching down and taking Kyoko's hand.

"Thanks," Kyoko said, settling herself onto Hang's back. "You don't mind, do you Hang-chan?"

The Leppamon shrugged, causing Cyrus to sway. "Beats us hoofin' it all the way." Hang dug her claws and stretched out her legs, front and back. "Should we head straight for the location?"

"I know _I_wouldn't stick in the same place," Bolter said. "If I had the Dark Army on my tail."

"True," said Cyrus, tugging his own pack off and setting it before him on Hang's furry back. "Which way should we head, then?" He frowned, and then sighed.

"What's wrong, Cy-kun?" asked Kyoko, leaning a little closer.

Cyrus thought a moment before speaking slowly. "It's those two we... fought, if you could call it that." He chewed his lip and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "If they took Jeanette, it stands to reason that we'll run into them again."

"And even if we're ready this time," Hang said, picking up the train of thought as she trotted west along the winding road. "They don't seem like they'll go down easily."

"Think you'd be able to evolve again, Bolter?" Kyoko asked, idly patting the Lopmon on the head.

"Yeah," said Bolter, smirking a little. "And I'd like to give 'em payback... for what they did."

"We still have to catch 'em first," said Hang. "I don't suppose we could enlist some help? A flier at least?"

"Psychemon said they were sending a few," said Cyrus. "We're supposed to meet up with them," His eyes and an index finger traced along the crinkled map he had spread before him. "Here," he said, following a line traced a distance down the main route, and branching off to a side route that lead to what appeared to be an old mine, close to a smaller stream that shot off the Seras River. "Near where the scout reported sighting something. It's still a lot of ground for us to cover, though... the wilderness won't be easy traveling even if we find a trail." He shifted slightly. "I'm a suburban kid... if only Colin had come along... I get the feeling he could do a pretty decent job tracking something."

"Even if this was the Stirring Wood," Hang said slowly. "Even if we were facing an entire platoon of Death Meramon, would it stop us from trying to get her back?" Her somber words cast a curtain of heavy silence upon the group. No one was surprised by the one who broke it nearly as it fell.

"No," Kyoko said quietly, squeezing one of Bolter's ears and rubbing the soft, furry tip of it between her thumb and forefinger.

"The Stirring Wood?" Bolter wondered aloud, frowning. "Somehow that doesn't sound good..."

"It shouldn't," said Cyrus, shaking his head and suppressing a shudder. "It's a forest in the southern province, and a lot of people believe the place is haunted. At the very least, the trees there... seem alive. Not quite like Jyureimon, but roots have a way of reaching up to trip travelers' feet, and what seemed like a clear path a moment ago can quickly become an impenetrable bramble. They don't like intruders..."

"It's a good place to hide," Hang commented. "Because no one in their right mind would follow you in there."

"Reassuring," Bolter snorted a little. "Telling us what we already know, we're all nuts. Crazy. Insane. Bonzo. No longer in possession of our faculties -"

Kyoko pinched her nose and sighed, but a grudging smile formed on her lips, and from there, she giggled a little and leaned forward, against Cyrus's back.

Blushing slightly, Cyrus nonetheless smiled, glad to see Kyoko was taking another step out of her funk. He couldn't blame her for being upset, but a guilt trip or pity party wouldn't get their captured comrade back. Focusing that loss into a relentless determination to reclaim it, on the other hand, could at least do something. "I told you letting him drink that much coffee was a bad idea..."

"WACKO!"

* * *

><p><strong>Near the Tenlot Mine, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

The noon sun streamed down upon the landscape, the day as clear and bright, the sky as vivid and light a blue as it had been the totally opposite with yesterday's storm. The water still trickling off leaves formed a soothing patter, but had also left the ground increasingly muddy at the four traveled west, much to Hang's chagrin.

"Looks like this is it," said Hang, eying the signpost next to the side of the road. Ahead lay a low, broad mountain, and the area surrounding the mouth of a wood-framed cave was dotted with an assortment of small structures. A rusted cart sat on the tracks that disappeared into the maw of the cave. The buildings, forming a small mining village, ranged from a supply shop to a saloon, and it was all presided over by a watchtower. Several of the wooden structures had partially collapsed, but all were showing signs of time-worn neglect.

"This place is abandoned?" asked Kyoko, feeling faintly nervous as Hang trotted to a stop. The trio dismounted from her back, and the mud squished around Kyoko's sneakers. She smiled at fond childhood memories of playing in the mud and dirt, with siblings and friends, but then turned her mismatched gaze toward one of the outlying buildings. She could've sworn she'd seen movement...

"Yeah," said Cyrus, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulders. "They used to mine Digizoid ore from here. It's used in a lot of things, from building frames to weapons and armor, depending on how it's refined, but between the mine starting to dry up, and raids by bandits and the dark army, they abandoned it."

"You sure seem to know a lot," Kyoko said, with an almost admiring tone as the four marched into the abandoned town.

Cyrus shrugged modestly. "I've been in the digital world longer than you have," he said, looking down at the map clutched in his hands. "And when I'm not fighting, I enjoy hanging out at the library and reading about the world and its history. My connections with the military don't hurt either, they need to know their terrain, after all." He noticed the way Kyoko kept looking around. "Something wrong?"

"I thought I saw something," Kyoko said slowly. "Just a flicker, out of the corner of my eye, but it keeps - "

"You have sharp eyes, little lady," said a voice that seemed to come from thin air fifteen feet ahead and to the left. Upon closer inspection however, there was definitely something there, a rippling outline from an exceptional – though not flawless – invisibility effect.

There was a chuckle from the other side, and suddenly a stocky form seemed to materialize out of thin air. "If your eyes are sharp enough to see through our cloaks, we could use you," said the Digimon airily, looking like a small, carnivorous saurian clad in 20-century combat gear. He wore body armor and a helmet, and had a bandolier of grenades draped across his chest. In his three-clawed fingers, he held an assault rifle.

"Commandramon," murmured Kyoko, eying her D-Vector's analysis. Even as she watched, his skin – a mottled collection of dark blues and greens – seemed to shift and shimmer, as though he might flicker back out of existence again at any moment.

"And to save your gadget the trouble, I'm Sealsdramon," the first speaker appeared, and it was an appearance notably different. He was taller, his proportions more human, and his form was covered in a similar, smooth, dark green body armor. Even his face was covered in a mask, and his eyes were covered by a pair of goggles. He had a tail, flexing sinuously back and forth, and held a wicked-looking knife as long as Kyoko's forearm.

Cyrus saluted the pair. "I assume you were the scouts sent out to meet us?"

"Yes," said the Sealsdramon, as the cybernetic pair returned the salute. "We're with 1st Recon. You'd be Cyrus and Hang, right?"

Cyrus nodded. "And these are Kyoko Yumi and Bolter," he gestured to the pair, the former of whom bowed, the second of whom gave a nonchalant 'Yo'. "We're looking for a blond human girl, with glasses."

"And a lock of hair dyed pink," Kyoko chimed in. "What?" She said when Cyrus gave her a questioning look. "She does," the brunette said matter of factly. "And it's cute." she added, as though that settled the matter.

Commandramon chuckled, smirking a little and revealing teeth very fitting for a carnivorous dinosaur. Sealsdramon on the other hand remained impassive and silent. His visor clicked, and one lense rotated. "We performed an initial search of the area early this morning. We found several converging trails, and signs of battle. We lost the trails after that, but we have to assume they didn't get far."

"Alright then," said Hang. In a flash of light, the Leppamon devolved, leaving the slender little Kudamon to scamper up Cyrus's shoulders. "So, where do we go from here?"

"As luck would have it," interrupted Commandramon, wheeling around, his rifle rising. "I think 'where' just came to us." The others followed his gaze to a patch of trees near the edge of the abandoned town, where a brown-haired girl in rather tattered and dirty clothing was emerging from the underbrush, along with much smaller form, a purple-scaled, childlike demon called Impmon. The girl walked with a noticeable limp, and the Impmon's red bandana was wrapped around her shoulder.

"Play it cool, guys," said Cyrus, though he nonetheless let his hand drift toward the pocket where his D-Vector was. Suddenly though, both of the reconnaissance Digimon abruptly disappeared, cloaking again. Kyoko caught a flicker of movement as the two of them split off in different directions. "Hey!" He called jovially, waving to the pair. Jogging toward them, he gestured for Kyoko to follow him.

"Oh," the unknown girl said, her purple eyes widening as they looked over the pair of tamers approaching her. "Hi..." she said, swallowing thickly.

"Lexi," the Impmon said, looking up at her. "Do you know these guys?"

Cyrus stopped dead when he finally saw past the unkempt state, lack of armor and – for the moment at least, it seemed – absence of freaky powers. "Yes," he said grimly, drawing his D-Vector now. His hands clenched into fists and his face had gone a bit pale, but a hard determination gleamed in Cyrus's eyes. "Surrender, or else!"

Yet the words were barely out of his mouth when a blur jumped in front of him. "KISAMA!" Kyoko screeched, seizing Lexi by the collar. She couldn't forget that face, the blood pounding in her ears and the red surging into her vision blocking out everything else. Even the power she had demonstrated before was of no concern to Kyoko now. _She_ was the one who'd taken Jeanette away, who'd manipulated Kyoko into helping her do it. "_Where is she!_" Kyoko demanded, bowling into Lexi and pushing the smaller girl back and back until she was up against a tree. Cold, startling fury was etched into every feature of Kyoko's normally cheerful face. "_What did you do to her? If you hurt her I'll - !_"

"Kyoko!" Cyrus put a hand on Kyoko's shoulder, but she angrily threw it off.

"Hey!" protested the Impmon, conjuring a fireball from one of his fingers. "Get off of her, you crazy -"

"I don't think so," Bolter jumped down from Kyoko's back, putting himself between the purple-scaled demon and his tamer. "Back off, bub!"

"Listen to him," said Commandramon, appearing directly behind the Impmon. The demon froze when he heard the quiet, yet distinct _click_as the weapon's safety when off and a round was chambered.

Lexi struggled to throw Kyoko off of her, but as Riku the Impmon knew, she was still bone-weary from the night before. "Kyoko, enough!" Cyrus said, trying again to pry the berserk brunette off. Sealsdramon chose that moment to reappear as well, and had a much easier time than Cyrus in forcing Kyoko back.

Gasping, Lexi massaged her neck, and slumped against the tree. "Can't – catch a break, can I?" she panted, a humorless smile on her lips. "You're – Excalibur?"

"Yes," said Cyrus, stepping forward while Sealsdramon held Kyoko back. "Who are you?" he said sharply. "I remember you – from the bandit base. You're dark army, aren't you?"

"Former," Lexi said, straightening up a little. "_Former_." She looked down at what must've been her partner. "I didn't serve them willingly. Possessed," she said, like it was supposed to explain everything.

"We can take them, Lexi," the Impmon said hotly.

"Betcha can't," Bolter said pointedly, still keeping himself between Kyoko and the Impmon.

"No," Lexi said firmly, shaking her head. She reached slowly, very slowly for the strap hanging the naginta from her back. She dropped the long implement to the ground. "We surrender. I've killed enough innocents," she shuddered. "I've no quarrel with you, and may be a great deal of use."

* * *

><p><strong>Emilglen Keep, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

At the recommendation of Commandramon and Sealsdramon, the group had traveled further southwest, to one of the few open border points between the Eastern and Southern provinces. Emilglen keep sat with a large river to one side, and the snowy peaks of the Highland Mountains to the other. It served as the strategic headquarters of the Excalibur in the eastern province, and had been deemed by the group the safest place to bring the two prisoners.

"At least they didn't put up a fight," Bolter was saying, as the group lounged in a small courtyard that overlooked the river from atop one of the fortress's walls. The sun's light on the horizon was fading, staining the sky a smear of colors with the coming dusk. "It's kinda strange though, don't you think? So happy to clean our clocks the first time, and then she surrenders the minute we have her surrounded."

"She looked pretty rough when we brought her in, but she could be up to something," Hang pointed out, eating grapes as Cyrus passed them up to his shoulder. "Though it's a pretty poor ploy, but then again they're not rocket scientists over there..."

"Yeah," said Cyrus, pulling another grape off the bunch and popping it thoughtfully into his mouth. He was eying Kyoko with some measure of apprehension. The Japanese youth leaned on the railing overlooking one stonework wall, staring at the rushing river below as though in a trance. "Kyoko?" he called gently.

"Nan – sorry, what?" She shook her head slightly, clearing the daze, and turned toward Cyrus. In truth, she was almost as nervous as Lexi had looked, about flying off the deep end like that. But... she hadn't been able to help it. Seeing that face again, the one who had done _something_ to her, and used it later, to make Kyoko betray Jeanette at a pivotal moment. It set Kyoko off, big time, yet the thought now scared her, even if she thought the bitch deserved worse. "You want me to sit out of interrogating her, don't you? You think she might be able to _use_me again."

"Well," said Cyrus, hesitating and giving a most nervous chuckle. "There _is_that," he went on slowly, fidgeting. "I also think she'll be more likely to open up if you don't throttle her the minute you lay eyes on her. Not that I can really blame you," he added quickly, at a sharp look from Kyoko's mismatched eyes. "But if she's really left their cause like she said, she could be valuable to us." He got up from the bench, leaving Bolter sitting there with a bag of potato chips that the Lopmon munched noisily on. "Getting her to cooperate could be our best chance of finding Jeanette."

Kyoko's teeth clenched painfully tight. Hanging her head, her bangs obscured stinging eyes, as she felt that feeling stir inside again. Kyoko didn't _want_ to get Lexi's peaceful cooperation, she wanted to break the knowledge out of her by whatever force, to find Jeanette and leave Lexi as broken as Kyoko herself felt. _No, I can't..._ she thought miserably. _It's not the way. I'd be no better, treating people like tools, to be used and tossed out._

She tensed a little as Cyrus put a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't draw away. "I know it's hard," the veteran tamer said softly. "But we _will_find her. I promise. I'll talk with the girl, and see what there is to find out."

"Cyrus," The voice made the young man turn back toward the courtyard's entrance, and he saw Commandramon and Sealsdramon standing there.

"What's up, guys?" he called, turning momentarily away from Kyoko.

"The prisoners are secure," said Sealsdramon. "Basement level one of the north block. We're heading back out to see if there are any more signs out there, of other goons or anything else from Vakner's forces."

"This late in the day?" Bolter said, raising an eyebrow. "It'll be dark real soon."

Commandramon gave a low chuckle. "And?" he said idly, unconcerned. "Don't you know our motto? 'Things _do_go bump in the night; And we're the ones who bump back.' Don't worry about us, worry about whoever crosses us in a dark forest." With that, the Commandramon turned on his heel and walked off.

"See you again," the Sealsdramon, saluting Cyrus and following his comrade.

* * *

><p>Lexi wasn't entirely sure what she'd been expecting from the Excalibur as far as hospitality, but so far the reality had fallen woefully short. She found herself in a large stone cell, really larger than necessary for the two prisoners occupying it. The only light came from lanterns hung in the hall beyond the barred door, and the dying sunlight from the barred window.<p>

Her neck and hands were held through a locked board, the pillory anchored to the floor. Riku was little better off, in what looked like a birdcage hanging from the ceiling. Her D-Vector and Naginata were gone, though that didn't surprise Lexi.

The stance she was held in did Lexi's injured ankle no favors, but at least the burning pain from her shoulder wound had faded to more of an intermittent stinging.

"You still sure surrendering to these guys was a good idea, Lexi?" Riku said, raising an eyebrow at his new found tamer. "Yeah, they're a nation and all, better than Vakner's forces, generally, but they can be just as vicious when pressed. Well, you saw that girl..."

"Yeah," Lexi said softly, feeling her shoulders slump as the awful guilt continued to gnaw at her. All she'd done... did she really deserve any better than what she was getting? She hadn't told Riku, but the elation of her newly-gained freedom wasn't doing much to offset the terrible guilt and sheer exhaustion of her escape. _Yes, I can probably do the Dark Army, Kera's division especially, a lot of damage with what I know, but... that,_ she grimaced, chewing her lip. _Won't change what I've done._ As if it was being played before her on film, Lexi's mind saw flashes, of the Digimon she'd killed, the infrastructure she'd destroyed, the other, weaker tamers she'd captured. _Would they ever forgive me, if they knew how much trouble I'd caused?_

_Kera didn't_ make _me use that girl, Kyoko, to capture her friend. I did it myself, on impulse... it just seemed like a fitting idea, and when you're this miserable... you want to share it. But that doesn't excuse it... I _knew _I shouldn't be doing it, but I went along with her, however grudgingly, all this time._

She was broken from her reverie by the sound of footsteps marching up the hall. "Open the door," said a vaguely familiar male voice beyond Lexi's line of view. The Knight Chessmon (White) standing against the dank wall across from the cell nodded. The Puppet-type Digimon had a centaur-like body, covered in milky-white, gold-trimmed armor. Curiously, he hefted a massive, pointed dart on one shoulder.

Clopping forward on gleaming hooves, the guard withdrew a jangling key ring. After opening the door, he stepped back and saluted. "Thank you," said the same male voice, as a young man strode into Lexi's view. His clothes, jeans, jacket, and t-shirt, were simple and utilitarian, though not out of line for an average teenager. His black hair was as long as Lexi's yet clearly well cared for, smooth and free of tangles, swept back in a ponytail. _'s kinda cute, actually_, Lexi thought, allowing herself a bitter bit of amusement at having such a thought in her situation.

"You," Riku said impassively.

"Him," a female voice said sharply, as a lithe quadruped with beige, light blue, and brown fur appeared next to Cyrus. She loomed behind the tamer like a protective shadow, her masklike face making her all the more intimidating. "Don't even _think_of trying anything."

"Hang," the young man said patiently. "No need for that. I'm Cyrus, Cyrus Black. This here's Hang."

The Leppamon's only greeting was a microscopic nod of her head, and though the only thing on Hang's mask resembling a face were jagged burgundy lightning bolts, Lexi felt distinctly as though the mammalian Digimon was glowering at her. Undaunted, Riku glared right back.

Perhaps sensing the tension roiling off the two partners, Cyrus coughed quietly into his hand and went on. "I'm, uh, sorry about the accommodations, but the keep's commander is by the book and she rather insisted when I informed her of my experiences with you."

"It's alright," Lexi replied tonelessly, unsure whether she really meant it or not. She didn't bother to mention that if she'd still had Kera's power, this wouldn't hold her. "I understand." She remembered he had been reasonable earlier, and hoped her luck would hold that much.

Cyrus winced a little, but pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. Lexi noted he went almost immediately pale, his skin taking an almost unnatural sheen in the lantern light. "I," he said, his voice cracking a little. "You know, if the reports are anything to be believed, you've done... quite a lot of damage to the kingdom. E-enough you'd probably face the death penalty."

That fact was a dull blow upon a numb heart, leaving Lexi to shiver momentarily. She wasn't _surprised_by that news, but it was the cruel boot that snubbed out the seedling of hope.

"Kill her?" Riku said hotly, grabbing the bars of his cage. "After we both risked our lives to break free! Bastards!"

"Hey!" snapped Hang, rounding on the demon.

Cyrus shot a glare at Riku, one that Lexi found unsettling, and his hand furled into a fist. Around that fist, pale blue embers of light slowly began to circle. Jaw tight, he appeared on the verge of snapping a retort at the little demon, but after a moment, he breathed and the light around his hand faded. When he spoke again, it was in the same calm, slightly friendly, but still matter of fact tone. "You can't blame them," he said, tapping the paper. "According to this, she's responsible for dozens of deaths, substantial property destruction, the kidnapping of one tamer, and is suspected in the disappearances of several more. And that's just what they have records on."

Again, Lexi's mind painted imagery for her, playing out the crimes of which Cyrus spoke. Those... and the others. Stuff she doubted Riku even knew about, for he'd only recently been assigned to Outpost Blight, after serving elsewhere.

"Killing her won't bring them back, damn it!" barked Riku, shaking his fist. "All this crap about justice..."

"And what right does she have," retorted Hang, quite literally bristling. "To walk free, after what she's done?"

"Why?" Cyrus said, speaking softly, yet his single question cut across the bickering of the two Digimon, to which he seemed to pay no mind. His blue eyes caught Lexi's purple ones. "Why did you do it?" he went on, a little more loudly. "I've always wondered what could motivate people – Digimon or human – to side with _him_."

Lexi blinked, and found herself wondering the same thing. She knew why she'd done it, but how many others could say the same? There had been Led, but that was a purely mercenary arrangement. As long as she was paid well enough to spoil herself rotten, she didn't seem to care about much else. The Digimon she'd served with, even Kera, she couldn't be so sure about. But... there was something reassuring about being asked that.

"And..." Cyrus said, breaking a deepening silence. "I don't think we were ever introduced."

Lexi nodded, yet the simple formality was somehow refreshing after all she'd been through. "I'm Sayori Alexis Tashimi – you can call me Lexi – and this little guy is Riku. He's," she paused, deliberating her wording. Was she betraying Kodi, who had died trying to save her from all this? No, he wouldn't have wanted that. "My Digimon partner. As for what you'd like to know, well, it'll probably make the most sense to start from the beginning."

Hang seemed on the verge of interrupting, but Cyrus gently stroked her side and gave Lexi an encouraging smile. "Nice to meet you, Lexi and Riku. Please continue."

Lexi took a deep breath, and before she knew it, she had begun her tale. "My family owns a kendo studio in Japan, it had been tradition for generations, but I could never really get into it. Following everyone else's lead... just wasn't my thing. I'd just had an argument with my oldest brother and shut myself up in my room. I checked my computer and saw I had a new e-mail from an unknown sender. It asked me if I wanted to leave my current life behind, and embark on an adventure. I said yes... I thought it might've just been a joke, but I wanted so bad then to get away I took a chance."

"I found myself in the Digital World, and met my partner Digimon, Kodi," Cyrus looked a bit perplexed at that, but he politely held his silence. "We spent some time in a western province town called Araha, but after a few weeks we started traveling. Saw a lot of things, and made our way east. We... hit trouble. A dark army squad attacked us near the southern marshlands. Kodi... he knew we couldn't beat them, and told me to run." Lexi could feel her voice quaver, but the same numbness that kept her from enjoying her freedom also dulled the pain of the memories she was relaying. "I did, as fast as I could, but then I remembered a dart hitting me in the shoulder and then, nothing."

"When I woke up, I wasn't alone. I'd been taken to one of the Dark Army's hidden bases, beyond the Excalibur's lines to the east. The Digimon in charge of that division is a Lady Devimon named Kera. She... possessed me. Forced her way into my body, and bent my will until I gave in. Her power effectively makes the human she's inhabiting a tamer and partner in one body, she shares the power of whatever Digimon form she holds inside."

"That's how I was able to fight, when I captured that brunette with you now, at the Moonbrook Inn, at the bandit base, and all the other times... I didn't _want_to serve the dark army, but Kera..." Lexi swallowed. "You don't know what it's like having pure evil inside your head, skimming your thoughts, knowing your weaknesses..." She looked pleadingly at Cyrus, willing him to understand, even if Lexi had hated her own weakness. Hang was right. What right did Lexi have, after all those she'd made to suffer, trying to save herself? "Oh, and you don't need to worry about the Evil Whisper I used on her. That kind of planted suggestion only works once, and she managed to break it eventually anyway..."

Yet the young man's expression was hard to read. What was that emotion? Was it pity? Or simply veiled disgust? "How did you get out, then? Or is Kera still with you?"

"No," Lexi said, unable to help a hysteric chuckle. "Thank god, no." She swallowed nervously. "It was... your friend. Her digisoul... it's the most powerful we've ever found. Kera needs that power to help her master, and she had to leave _my_body to take over your friend's. When she did, I was able to escape. Not long after that is when I met Riku here," she nodded slightly toward the Impmon, who nodded. "He was part of the squad sent to recapture me."

"Except I wanted out too," he said softly. "I was just waiting for a chance to do it. Seeing the rest of the squad corner a tamer who swore she'd rather die than go back. I knew it was my chance. Lexi hurt her leg in the chase, so we couldn't get far, but nothing else came after us till we wandered in to you." The Impmon looked sourly at Cyrus and Hang, arms folded over his chest.

"Sounds like you've been through some rough times," Cyrus said sympathetically, taking a few steps closer, his posture relaxed. "But you're safe now," Riku snorted. "From, um, Kera at least," Cyrus amended. "Could you tell us where you took Jeanette?"

Lexi's brow furrowed in thought. "I know where I took her," the brunette said carefully. "But if Kera knows I escaped, she's probably already set a trap for anyone that goes to that base. I don't want anyone else suffering on my account."

"Convenient," said Hang icily. "Especially since plenty seem to have suffered already thanks to you."

Lexi felt a flare of anger directed at the smart-mouthed Adult-level. "Even if it's not a trap, she'd be a fool to stay there... and a fool she's not. She'll be an easier target if you can catch her when she's in the open."

"What do you think, Hang?" Cyrus asked, looking at the Leppamon.

"Bad words you'd chastise me for using," Hang said simply. "All the trouble she's caused, even kidnapping Jeanette, was all for her own interests."

A growl bubbled up from Lexi's throat. "You think I _enjoyed_ any of that?" she said hotly. "You've got NO IDEA what it's like. Maybe I _should_let you walk into an ambush. I bet you'd be a lot more sympathetic if they took you alive and you found out what I'd been through!" Anger flashed in Lexi's purple eyes, and Cyrus drew back from her. She could almost feel herself swelling with fury, replacing the cold depression and apathy that had been gripping her, even as the back of her mind once more recognized the attempt to share her misery.

Cyrus cast an uncertain look at his partner, but then shook his head slowly. "Any information you could give us to help us find Jeanette would be," he hesitated, and met the purple eyes of Lexi's still-fuming face with difficulty. "Greatly appreciated," he said at last. "And I'll see about getting your injuries tended to." Turning on his sneaker-shod heel, Cyrus marched out of the cell beside Hang. At a signal from the tamer, the Knight Chessmon (White) slammed the barred door, and returned to his silent, statue-like vigil.

* * *

><p>"Cy-kun!" Kyoko called out to the young man as she saw Cyrus and Hang emerge from the dungeon. "How did it go? Does she know...?" It was surprising that she hadn't worn a rut in the floor, pacing around and around in the hallway beyond the secured area. Equal parts anticipation and terror wormed their way through her chest. Bolter had done his best to remind her to think positive, but Kyoko had pointed out there wasn't much positive when your friend had been captured by the dark army to be used as a tool.<p>

Cyrus shook his head slowly. "Lexi says she knows where Jeanette is, but she's afraid that it would be a trap by now. She wasn't telling."

"People have a way of going into traps anyways, if the bait is alluring enough," said Hang, her head lowering slightly. "And it is. Like I said before, nothing they throw in our path will stop us from going after her."

"Yes," Kyoko quietly agreed. She'd promised to look after Jeanette, a promise that Lexi had made her break in the worst way. Even beyond atoning for that terrible guilt, Kyoko had something else to tell Jeanette when they got her back.

"Do you think she's on the level?" Bolter said. "I mean, all the trouble she's been causing..."

"She said she was possessed," Cyrus said. "I didn't know it was possible, but somehow one of Vakner's Lady Devimon was inhabiting Lexi's body, giving her powers and stuff."

"Except," said Hang, an edge creeping into her voice. "She even admitted that Kera couldn't _make_her do anything... she just went along with it."

"It would explain how she was able to do some of the things she did," Bolter mused. "Also, it seems were not through with Katsumura after all... she and Arcsinh are on their way here now, according to the Owlmon that just flew in from the north."

Kyoko's mismatched eyes blinked. "Why?"

"She did seem interested in Lexi's powers," Cyrus shrugged. "Anyway, we still need to figure out our next move. Do we try to get the base's location out of Lexi anyway?"

"She could be lying to us," Kyoko said, a thinly-suppressed rage infusing her words. "A-after what she did, I wouldn't trust her. I-it could be a trap," Her teeth clenched, and she felt her head spinning with confusion. She most certainly did _not_trust Lexi, but if she knew where they could find Jeanette...

Cyrus folded his arms, chewing his lip thoughtfully. His eyes flicked among the other three. "It's a pretty poor trap that leaves the trap-layer in an Excalibur dungeon."

"Risking one tamer to get two more," Bolter said. "Particularly if one of them has inside info on Excalibur troop movements, communication ciphers, and so forth. There are worse bets made, though those are mostly drunks down at the Baste Casinos..."

"I'm not saying we should trust her implicitly," said Cyrus, wincing at a look from Kyoko that suggested him bodily harm if he did. "But her information could be valuable to us." His eyes flickered again, and he looked on the verge of adding something, but held his tongue.

"Though she is right about one thing," said Hang. "Even if she's telling the truth and gives us good information, there's nothing stopping the darks from turning it into a trap."

* * *

><p><strong>Capital City of Bastion, Central Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

An exceptionally tall figure clad in a brown cloak strode warily through the streets of the kingdom's capital. The time was late afternoon, the sky dappled with clouds and the temperate day warmed by the sun high above. As befitting the desires of one wearing such a garment in the first place, very little could be discerned of the cloaked and hooded figure beyond that he, or perhaps even she, was of approximately human dimensions.

Few paid the figure any mind as he made his way through the bustling streets, passing the merchant stalls, the troops out on drill, and the citizenry milling about after work before returning to their homes. Homeward bound however this figure was not, he had come a very long way from home in fact, but all for the most just of causes.

Eventually the stone streets carried him to a wide and impressive structure of ornate decorations, surrounded by sweeping stone steps. At the fore of the square building was a statue of an ethereal figure, draped in ornate robes and topped with wide crown, the torso of the Ancient Wisemon resembled a mirror as much as any living specimen of the species would, reflecting those who had come to the center of knowledge in all the kingdom, the Grand Library.

The figure paused as he reached the base of the steps, seemingly subsumed in the memories of the place and his own past. It was a moment before he moved again, stepping carefully aside as a gaggle of Angewomon made their way down the steps, all the while giggling about something or other.

The figure's cloak billowed in the breeze before he passed through the entrance archway, into the cool stone and metal work of the lobby, the hem of his cloak stilling. Plush carpeting spread in all directions like a thick, artificial grass, and the front desk lay just ahead.

The librarian could have fit an Earthly stereotype, the perfect example of an old lady Digimon, Babamon. Her gray hair was dusty, the broom she probably used for whacking those who spoke too loudly as much as for cleaning leaned against the chair she currently snoozed in. A stack of heavy books lay forgotten next to her on the desk.

Fortunately the figure did not need aid in what he had come to find. _No_, he mused as he strode slowly down the towering aisles of books that filled the entire cavernous space of the library's interior. _It feels like it was only yesterday._Those days had been terrifying, yet thrilling. Even as his stomach stiffened at the recollection, he knew he had become a better person as a result of those times.

A few Digimon spared him a glance, but many ignored him as he headed to the back corner of the library. The hallowed halls of knowledge had protections against those who did them harm, and if he had not set them off, then the cloaked figure was only like so many others these days that navigated the world with utmost care.

Eventually, the figure came to a stop. He gazed upon the shelf of books before him, tucked away in a nice little cranny near the corner of the building and near the back section of the library where the most precious or despicable books were kept separate.

No one had paid any mind to the small paperback crammed between two large tomes, but it marked the location nicely. Human hands slid from the sleeves of the cloak and grabbed it from the shelf, a smile coming to the figure's hidden face as he skimmed through the old favorite. However scientifically unlikely the book's very basis might have been in the eyes of some, few were the boys who did not enjoy dinosaurs growing up, and it was a fond treat to see the old interest revived in such an interesting and well-written tale.

The other books were carefully tugged aside as well, the parcels of knowledge stacked carefully on a nearby table to get them out of the way. Then with a furtive side to side glance to ensure he was indeed alone, the figure tugged back the hood of his cloak. His brown hair was short and rather messy, his eyes blue-green, a pair of glasses perched on his nose. The young man's features were average, his face with only the youthful beginnings of facial hair, and the rest of his spidery form was hidden by the cloak.

From within the dark wrapping he withdrew the mark of so many tamers, a D-Vector. The base of it was navy blue, the buttons upon it a simple white. He held it before him, and as though it were a flashlight, a brilliant cone of white shone from the device upon the section of brick wall that had been revealed behind the shelves.

Like ice and snow before the coming spring, the wall seemed to simply melt away before the light. It left no trace, perhaps it had never been there at all, but only the cleverest of illusions that would fool the five senses of any being to perfection.

Behind lay burnished metal, a circular panel set into the wall with several dials upon the front, a sort of secret safe of the digital variety. The young man reached forward, forgoing the handle and instead allowing his long and slender fingers to twiddle the dials. Letters, numbers, and symbols were printed into them, and with every twist of one dial, the others often moved as well, sometimes depending on the current positioning of one of them.

The result was a complicated puzzle, and it took several moments even for the young man to finally line up the numbers correctly. Only when sweat beaded upon his pale brow did the resounding click of all five dials settling into the right position emanate from within the metal.

His fingers trembled slightly as they went for the handle, and with a jerk the heavy if small door yawned wide. The hideaway chamber it revealed was small if quite deep, with two objects lying inside. Stowing his D-Vector, the young man reached inside. The first object was a large egg, its surface a mottled, smoky gray, with streaks of bright red and vivid orange scattered across its surface. Unlike the fire it so resembled, the Digitama was stone cold, but the young man knew it would awaken with time.

The second object in the vault explained its length. His hand wrapped around the hilt of a sword, withdrawing it to inspect the weapon. Despite how long it had been sealed away, the sword looked as polished and cleaned as the day he put placed it there. He frowned slightly as he held it in both hands, the Digitama carefully set aside for the moment. The sword was heavier than he remembered, he had been out of practice for too long. His bespectacled eyes surveyed the shining longsword, from the long grip, to the broad crossguard, to the notch down the center of the double-edged sword into which were carved seven ornate runes.

As he held the sword, the runes began to glow faintly, before the light faded again. "Well then," he grinned, returning the little section of library to the way he had found it and picking up what he had retrieved. "Here… we… go!"

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi and Riku goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	24. Chapter 24

**Dark Purpose**

* * *

><p><strong>Emilglen Keep, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

_Lexi strolled through a field of flowers, her sun dress billowing lightly in the warm summer's breeze while grasses and stems tickled her legs. The field of color seemed to go on forever, and with the sun high and warm, and the sky near cloudless, Lexi could hardly imagine a more perfect day._

But if that was so, why was there a feeling of anxiety rising inside her? Looking around, it was what she didn't see that confirmed the notion. "Kodi?"She looked for any sign of the diminutive warrior. He would've been short enough to be lost in the field, but Lexi's eyes strained in vain for any sign of a ripple in the sea of color. "Kodi!" she called, her voice rising fearfully in pitch, her heart quickening.

Her leisurely pace gave way to a panicked walk, and Lexi continued to call for her missing partner. "Kodi?" she cried desperately, breaking into a run. But was she trying to catch up to him? Or to get away from something else? She didn't know.

Suddenly the world around her darkened, flowers receding to dirt, trees closing in oppressively from both sides, and a form appeared to Lexi's left. Skidding to a halt, she looked up and sighed with relief as she recognized the lean, powerful frame, green scales, and loose, tribal clothing of her partner's preferred combat form. "Kodi!"

But the comfort brought by his presence was short-lived. The Dinohumon's face was a fierce, determined mask, but there was something of sadness lurking in his features, as Kodi's violet eyes were fixed on something just ahead. It chittered and slithered, writhing with a mass of eyes and teeth and claws that all seemed to belong to one nightmarish entity. "There's too many of them, Lexi!" Kodi said, raising his bladed arms before him and leveling the wide, flat, cleaverlike blade before him. "I'll hold them off!

Go!" _With a bellowing war cry, Kodi threw himself at the mass, his blades flashing and dancing._

Yet as Lexi tried to run, she felt a chill upon herself, and her feet were rooted to the spot. She turned and tried harder, straining to escape, but her body would not cooperate. As she turned back around, the pale visage of an all too familiar demoness descended upon Lexi with a predatory shriek.

"Kodi!" Lexi lurched upright in bed, her heart pounding, panting as though she'd been much more successful at running than she had actually been in that nightmare. Her nerves frayed, it took her several seconds to start slowing her breathing. _A nightmare, just a nightmare..._she reassured herself, though it was a small comfort considering it was just a taste of what she'd endured for weeks.

"Lexi?" said Riku, through the gloom of their cell. "Are you alright?" She saw a shape move nearby, and felt his weight lean on the edge of the bed as he approached.

"Nightmare," panted Lexi. Did that make her alright? She didn't know. Given what had happened lately, she wasn't sure she'd _ever_be alright. Easing herself up off the cot, Lexi limped across the room to the stone basin near the window. True to Cyrus's word, she'd been seen by one of the keep's doctors, a cute little Tailmon that had cleaned and bandaged Lexi's shoulder and splinted her ankle.

What sky was visible through the bars of the cell was shot with the faint red of predawn light, leaving Lexi fumbling in the dark for some water. "Here," said Riku, and with a snap of his fingers, a flickering orange light filled the room.

"Thanks," murmured Lexi, before splashing some water from the basin on her face. She let it dribble down her chin, and let the cold help shock her back to reality. The duo had also been transferred to another cell, one with bars augmented by an energy field, but at least one where human and Impmon had been able to rest in relative comfort.

Moving gingerly, Lexi returned to the cot and sat herself down on the edge of it as Riku did the same opposite her. The Impmon still held the small fireball in his palm, apparently undaunted by the heat. "So what's our next move, Lexi?"

"I'm not sure," said Lexi, tracing her finger along the mattress. "I didn't really expect to be welcomed by the Excalibur with open arms. But this..." she shook her head slowly. "Then again," she went on heavily. "I can't say I don't deserve it..."

"You didn't have a choice," said Riku. "They kidnapped you, I joined voluntarily. I don't know what I was thinking, that it would somehow be good." The Impmon shifted uncomfortably, and Lexi saw a certain kinship between them, helping each other break the chains of darkness.

"Still," sighed Lexi, finding a bitter, ironic amusement in her thoughts. She felt a deep, gnawing guilt over what she'd done, yet she'd only been partially responsible for it. She'd tried resisting Kera at first, but it just left her exhausted, and the demoness had been relentless. Now, she was free of one problem, and mired in another, with confusing emotions that made her head spin. One minute she just wanted them to get it over with, the next she wanted to help fight against Kera, for her redemption, and the next, she just wanted to get as far from it all as possible. "At least my agenda was clear with her," Lexi said bitterly, her hand shaking.

Riku was silent, a pensive expression on his face. Flopping back, Lexi exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. Sleep came quickly, her body still exhausted by its recent ordeals.

* * *

><p>Cyrus walked down the passageway into the keep's dungeon. Hang lay across his shoulders, and he was accompanied this time by three others. First and second were Katsumura and Arcsinh, having traveled from Moonbrook to the keep. Third was a fairly humanoid Digimon, shorter than Cyrus and with a seafoam-green skintone. Fish fins protruded from the sides of her head like ears, and her eyes were a pale red and oddly enough, behind a pair of glasses. Her outfit was primarily blue, skintight like a swimsuit, and a bit revealing as beachwear might be too. The Ranamon, by the name of Adilet, was one of the local magistrates. She had a folder tucked under her arm, and a pencil behind one ear-fin.<p>

They arrived before the cell, the area lit now primarily by the sunlight streaming in from outside. The bars might've looked mundane, but they were Chrome Digizoid, and between the rods themselves, and energy field spanned, ensuring that even the most rambunctious prisoner wasn't going anywhere.

Not that either Lexi or Riku was causing the least bit of trouble at the moment. In fact, Lexi was dozing on her cot, and Riku seemed to be amusing himself juggling fireballs. He shot a surly look at the approaching group and one by one, let the fiery projectiles burn out.

"Lexi?" Cyrus called out gently, and saw the girl stir.

"Whazgoinon?" Lexi mumbled, sitting upright and rubbing one eye. "Oh," she said, her expression brightening a little. "Hi, Cyrus."

"H-hi," said the young man, rubbing the back of his neck. "Lexi, Riku, I'd like you to meet Adilet, a local magistrate," he gestured to the Ranamon, who bowed slightly. "And these are Katsumura and Arcsinh. They're..."

"Acquaintances," supplied Hang, her beady eyes fixed on the imprisoned pair from her roost. Though it fell short of outright dislike, it was certainly distrust.

Arcsinh gave a friendly wave from his position near Katsumura's ankles, but the spiky-haired girl gave no sign of greeting, even as she looked attentively at Lexi. Katsumura tapped away on her D-Vector's holographic keyboard one-handed, while her mismatched eyes never seemed to deviate from a spot near Lexi's collarbone.

Meanwhile, Adilet was perusing papers from the folder she'd been carrying. "My, my," she said softly. "You've been quite busy, haven't you Miss Tashimi? Kidnapping a tamer and being unable to provide her current whereabouts, property destruction to the tune of half a million bits, and the murder of several dozen Digimon." She nudged her glasses up her nose before looking hawkishly at Lexi.

"You'll also note," Cyrus interjected, looking back at Adilet. "That she did so under duress and influence from one of the Dark Army's ranking officers."

"Yes, the possession," mused Adilet. "It's unprecedented from a legal standpoint as far as I know, though fairly similar to issues the courts have dealt with in the past, when certain Digimon have exploited mental influence capabilities in a similar fashion."

"That's good, isn't it?" said Arcsinh. "I mean, if she's not really responsible..."

"It's still a thorny one," said Adilet. "And where it could fall may well vary with the individual judge and jury."

Riku snorted, glaring at Adilet. "Punishing Lexi isn't going to undo any of the things she did."

"Of course," said Adilet. "But that is justice. A fair trial... that's more than any of her victims ever got."

"Besides," interjected Hang. "You _could_ tell us where you took Jeanette... _that_would go a ways toward making up for things."

"I told you," said Lexi, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Even _if_Kera is still keeping her there, they know by now that I got away. She'd be a fool to not prepare for a company of Excalibur kicking down her door, and a fool she's not." Her eyes flickered. "I don't want anyone else suffering because of me..."

"Though," Riku said, folding his arms. "Kera's no small fry when it comes to the dark army's operations. Even above and beyond that blond's current whereabouts, there's a lot Lexi knows. Even if Kera wanted to invalidate all of that intelligence, it's impossible to do it overnight. It'd be too much." He spared a dirty look to Katsumura, who was still eying them silently and typing notes, while occasionally pausing as though to listen to something. Cyrus surmised it might've had something to do with her ESP.

"Looking to make a deal?" said Adilet, raising a slender eyebrow. "Well, I suppose it's true that the Excalibur don't often get defectors, especially ones from so high in the ranks. We'd need some indication of the kinds of information you'd be able to provide us with."

"A lot," Lexi said slowly. "Force deployments, supply lines, black market, I've even been to your so-called unknown regions, inside enemy territory."

Riku stood, glaring sharply at Adilet, apparently undaunted by the difference in their heights. "Even if they try to cover their tracks, they can't isolate all the damage. You might be able to swing this war back in your favor, and all we ask in return is for all charges to be dropped, and for us to be allowed to go on our way." Lexi glanced at Riku and opened her mouth as though she was about to interrupt, but she remained silent and leaned back.

"You feel different," Katsumura interjected, still peering oddly at Lexi. She lowered her blue and purple D-Vector, the holographic keyboard going dark as the device settled against her neck where it hung. "That unusual presence I sensed before is gone."

Lexi blinked briefly in confusion, but then her eyes narrowed. "Oh, it's you," she said warily. "The one who sensed my attack at that inn. Yeah," she went on, looking annoyed. "That's Kera's not being there any more that you're... feeling."

"Katsu has heightened senses," explained Arcsinh. "An Extra-Sensory Perception, I believe your kind often call it."

"Speaking of," said Hang, looking curiously at Katsumura. "Did you have that same capability before coming to this world? I've just been wondering."

"Distantly," said Katsumura. "Vibes, hunches, about people or places to stay away from. A gut feeling. But here, it's much more tangible."

"Kera mentioned something about that," said Lexi. "Similar abilities during the first war. She figured that was why I'd been detected."

Adilet cleared her throat. "Perhaps as a measure of good faith, you could tell us something about the dark army's supply lines, both inside and outside the kingdom?"

Riku glanced at Lexi. "The more you tell them now, the less leverage we'll have later..." he murmured, but Lexi slowly shook her head.

"The usual black market contacts," said Lexi. "Smugglers, occasionally. Sometimes they know who it's for, sometimes they don't. So there's all the usual illegal channels there, but there are also tunnels threading between key locations, like the base I escaped from. They can be used to keep troops and supplies hidden as they're moved around. There's also a Togemon who's the quartermaster at Frostguard Keep. She's been stealing supplies for the dark army and framing others for it."

"What?" exclaimed Adilet, before she could help herself. That last piece of information had clearly been a shock. Scowling, she scribbled a note to herself. "I've had to investigate theft there several times - not my favorite place to be, I might add, I'm a tropical waters Digimon – and we always suspected civilian workers and sometimes guards were behind it. But..." her scowl deepened. "I'll never understand why I didn't suspect her from the start. No one's that cooperative with an investigation."

"So," Riku interrupted. "Do we have a deal or not? We give you all we know, you leave us alone. We'll probably head west, or maybe northwest along the coast, outside the kingdom..."

"You're leaving?" Cyrus blurted out, before he could help himself. "I thought you might want to stick around and help," he added lamely, flushing a little.

"It _would_probably be better to leave," commented Adilet, staring hard at her notes. "I'm sure a lot of people would probably rather not see such a tamer again, and that doesn't even include Digimon that she might have victimized trying to exact their own justice."

"What about Riku?" said Lexi, rubbing her bandaged shoulder lightly.

"That's quite a lot simpler," said Adilet, shrugging mildly. "Your crimes would be relatively easy to track Lexi, because they're aren't many Lady Devimon-possessed tamers running around. There are witnesses to testify against you and the like. On the other hand, Riku was just a footsoldier. Tracking what, if anything, he did would be very difficult. I wouldn't even bother filing the charges, to be honest."

"So he'd be free to go?" said Arcsinh.

When Adilet nodded, Riku snorted. "I'm not going anywhere without Lexi."

"Well then," said Adilet. "I think I've got a lot of note-taking to do." She looked to the others. "You might want to grab a seat and something to drink. Lexi," she turned to the girl again. "We're going to go over everything you can tell us about Vakner's forces, anything that could help, no matter how insignificant it might seem." She fixed the tamer with a piercing look. "You ruined a lot of lives, but I think what you know could save many more."

"I hope so too," Lexi murmured. Her eyes seemed distant, and Cyrus wondered what she was thinking about. What to tell them first, out of all she must know? Or perhaps wondering about that balance, and whether justice could be found in all this.

He watched Adilet stride away and return with a glass of water and a chair, while Katsumura simply settled herself on the floor. The spiky-haired girl was back to typing, an odd expression on her face as she worked on something on her D-Vector.

His hands in his pockets, Cyrus turned toward the exit, but then paused. "Lexi, Riku?" he asked kindly. "Do either of you want anything?"

Hang and Adilet gave him a look, but Cyrus's expression firmed. "What's the harm? Don't make me pull rank," he added teasingly, trying to mask what unease he felt. It just... didn't feel right. It was about time Lexi got a break from someone besides her partner, when from the sound of it, this wasn't really her fault.

* * *

><p><strong>Outpost Blight, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

How long had it been since Jeanette had first found herself in this nightmare? Days? It felt like weeks. The French youth was in the lavish confines of Kera's room, the dark, ominous decorations and the lack of sunlight doing her few favors.

The worst by far however, was Kera. Jeanette was no stranger to dealing with hostile, needling outsiders who demanded everything from her and would seize upon any weakness or imperfection, having lived with her adoptive father for almost as long as she could remember. Unable to conceive naturally, he'd opted to adopt instead, and begin grooming what he got into what he wanted. He had wanted to make her like himself, cool, controlled, intelligent, focused, and ruthless. He made no secret of his desire for her take the reigns of the company one day.

Jeanette was rarely so pleased to see someone else so disappointed. She had little interest in the affairs of an international firm, just as her father had little interest in her personal life. When Jeanette focused upon it, she could remember vaguely time spent in an orphanage, but she'd never been able to find out exactly how she came to be there. Then she'd been adopted by the billionaire businessman, and had everything so many people could attest to ever wanting. Wealth and influence, servants for her every need, a spacious house, enrollment in a prestigious private school, and the best medical care.

But as the saying went, money couldn't truly buy happiness, and Jeanette longed for something outside the existence she knew. That was why she'd been so quick to accept the invitation to the Digital World, saying yes to what could have been a prank just for a _chance_at something more.

This, however, was not what she'd hoped for. Kera's mind resided near Jeanette's, picking up the girl's surface thoughts with frightening ease, and even demonstrating an ability to rifle a bit deeper. Her father had been bad, but at least he'd never been able to peer into her mind.

Though she was still in control, Jeanette felt like a prisoner in her own mind, incapable of a single cheerful thought without Kera whispering something vile in her ear, twisting anything happy around and using it against her.

Begging and crying, Jeanette had rejected Kera's assigned purpose with all her heart, hoping that a useless host would simply be cast off. But Kera held firm, the mother of all monkeys on Jeanette's back.

"_It's freedom you really wanted, wasn't it?"_ cooed Kera, as Jeanette slumped miserably, half-hanging off the bed. Physical comfort wasn't really the captive tamer's concern right now. "_You spent a youth, instead of in frolicking enjoyment, under the thumb of a man even _I _would call cruel. It grew little better when your narcolepsy set in, and he derided it as your laziness and lack of drive. You came to this world looking to escape your cage, only to find yourself captured by the military, someone else who sought to use you for their own."_

"You are no different!" Jeanette growled into the pillow she was clutching, even as a fresh wave of tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. For days she'd endured this non-stop, and even her narcolepsy wasn't letting her slip away from it for long. "_You_want to use my power to free your master!"

"_Yes, freedom,"_ said Kera. "_From the prison those wretched chosen sealed him in. He wishes to wash away the old, corrupt kingdom. Though I ask that you lend me your strength in turn, I can free you in ways you never imagined. To do what you want, when you want, without always worrying __what others will think. Always feeling like you have to hold back to avoid hurting others, when no one else bothers to show you the same courtesy, gleefully causing you problems if it will help _them."

Jeanette clutched a pillow in her arms, strangling the non-existent life out of it. "Zat is no way to be! Causing uzzers pain... I can't."

"_You can,"_ said Kera. "_You just choose not to. The freedom you have so sought has been before you this whole time. The restraints that hold you back from it are your own making."_

Jeanette rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. That did not surprise her, considering the stressful onslaught she'd been enduring, but this time her eyes were aching too, and it was getting worse and worse. Tugging them off her face, she resisted the urge to treat the frames as a stress toy, even if she wanted _something_to take her mind off her current predicament.

Jeanette had long been near-sighted, and needed the thick lenses to correct that. She couldn't stand contact lenses, and corrective surgery would have to wait until adulthood. So it was rather jarring when in spite of the lenses' absence, Jeanette realized she was seeing more clearly. "Ce qui ?" she murmured, rising slightly. Her deep blue eyes widened in mild shock.

"_That is something else you have wanted, no?"_ said Kera. "_My presence will fortify my host's body. Any existing weaknesses diminish, and physical capabilities are enhanced. Incidentally, this is why, as you have noticed, your narcolepsy seems less prevalent."_

_At least she admits I have it,_Jeanette thought, feeling bitter as she straightened up. She looked around the room, taking in even the creepy or mundane sights of the room with amazement. Looking down, she saw it was true, she could see this well even without her glasses on.

"_Still think I am only out for my master's benefit? There exists no common cure in either world for your condition. You can live without the embarrassment of needing constant breaks, and waking up, wondering what's happening because you didn't even know you were dozing off."_

Freedom of kinds Jeanette had given up on considering possible. Glasses had been a nuisance, but now it felt so strange, yet so wonderful to be able to see well without them again. And, Jeanette wondered, her heart quickening a little, could what Kera said about her narcolepsy be true? Despite herself, Jeanette knew she was tempted, even if -

"_Ah ah ah,"_ Kera chided her. "_What has anyone ever done for you? You barely knew what it was like to have a friend before the Digital World, and oops,"_ she said insolently. "_It seems she betrayed you. You're like a lost little puppy, trying to please whoever comes upon you, even when they treat you with cruelty or neglect."_

"_Monstre!_" Jeanette hissed through clenched teeth.

Kera chuckled softly. "_Monster I may be, but I can see it in you. Deep down, you feel admiration as much as disgust for those that take selfishly, without care. You __**envy**__ that freedom, freedom from your overly loud conscience. Well, I believe I can be louder."_ The demoness's phantom image, looming over Jeanette, grinned seductively. "_You've wanted this all along."_

Jeanette swallowed thickly. At first, she thought that Kera had seemed right about her through sheer force of personality, but the longer she'd had to listen to the demoness, the more Jeanette had started to see Kera's point. Her whole life she'd felt unfulfilled because she'd always been working for someone else's benefit.

"_Go out to the main chamber on this floor,"_ said Kera. "_If the guards try to stop you, threaten them."_ She gave a fanged, wicked grin. "_I find that usually works, hm?"_

Jeanette grudgingly slid from the bed, pocketing her glasses, and shuffled her way across the room. She grabbed hold of the ornate door handle, and with a loud creak the door yawned wide. Beyond it stood the same room she'd been imprisoned in earlier, looking like a study, with plus carpet, tables and chairs, and numerous bookshelves along the walls.

"Halt!" came grating voice from somewhere near Jeanette's waist level. It seemed that the guards of which Kera spoke were a pair of short, furry brown Digimon that looked more like teddy bears than warriors. They had large ears, little horns on their heads and minute wings on their backs. "Mistress Kera gave orders that you were to remain in this room!"

"That _is_Kera, you daftling," hissed the other, apparently female.

"If she is," said the first. "She'll know the secret handshake!" He held out a tiny paw toward Jeanette.

Jeanette felt a flare of irritation at being accosted by such a childish Digimon. "I will shake your 'and," she spat. "Clear off its socket!" The guard squeaked in alarm as she pushed past him, striding toward the cage at Kera's urging.

Led MacNeill was still locked up inside it, looking cross as ever. Her vivid pink hair was a bit of a mess, and on the whole she looked a little disheveled and crabby. "_That is Led MacNeill,"_ said Kera. "_A mercenary user of the Beast Spirit of Darkness in our employ."_

_Employ?_thought Jeanette.

"_Yes,"_ Kera replied mentally, her voice slow as if explaining something to someone very obtuse. "_We pay her lots of bits, and in exchange she fights what we tell her to."_

Shock flashed on Jeanette's face. She imagined now that was the sort of thing Kera talked about. Led was willing to work for them, as long as they paid her for it.

"What's the matter, blondie?" grunted the other girl, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the cage, her arms folded across a rather flat chest. "Black Tailmon got your tongue?"

Jeanette shook her head, and felt herself, to her surprise, mentally reaching out to Kera for some kind of direction. She could feel Kera's roiling thoughts, irritation at the other girl's escape, and several disturbing fantasies if she was ever recaptured.

"So you allowed Lexi to escape?" Jeanette asked, looking down at Led.

The mercenary snorted. "I didn't let her do nothin'," she said. "She brained me on the back of the head after Kera changed hosts." Her eyes hardened. "Maybe if someone had thought to tie her up first, this wouldn't be happening. Tell me, has that one search team still failed to report back?"

"Yes," murmured Jeanette, having heard the update when a Devimon had reported to Kera earlier.

Led fixed Jeanette with a piercing look, and Jeanette suspected she was glaring at Kera, or at least trying to get that point across. "Shouldn't you have sensed that Lexi was going to try and break out, she-witch?"

Kera felt seething, indignant anger at the accusation, but after awhile her emotions seemed to steady. "_I imagine she's suffered enough,"_ Kera's voice echoed in Jeanette's mind. "_You may release her, but remind her I will not be so forgiving next time."_

Jeanette's pale fingers trembled slightly as they picked up the key from a nearby table. She pushed it into the lock, and with a loud clatter, the cage's door popped open. Led didn't waste a moment, pushing herself up to her feet and stepping out of the cell.

"Tch," the mercenary rolled her eyes, as pink as her hair, as she fixed Jeanette with a withering gaze. "You're even worse than the last host. At least spice girl - " Led's words were interrupted by a loud impact and a brief hitch in her breathing. Her cheek stung sharply where Jeanette's open-handed blow had struck it, with surprising force, but that was less than the sheer shock of it.

But Jeanette wasn't done there. If there had been one thing Kera was right about, it was that Jeanette was tired of being expected to shrug off the abuse of others with a smile. Power surged up alongside her anger, and she knew what to do. "_Vague de noir!_" Jeanette leveled her hand at Led, and from a tiny dark fissure in the air, a trio of furry, black, ruby-eyed bats materialized.

Chittering madly, the night raiders seemed to understand their summoner's desire, and descended upon Led. They bitch and scratched at every bit of Led they could reach, and one even managed to get tangled up in her hair. Squawking and squealing, Led tried in vain to beat them off. But the onslaught didn't relent until Jeanette released her hold on that feeling of power.

The bats vanished like wisps of blown smoke, leaving Jeanette to stare onward, in a mixture of shock, amazement, and satisfaction...

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi and Riku goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf


	25. Chapter 25

**Striking Back**

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forest, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Kyoko Yumi panted heavily as she sprinted along a narrow dirt path. Bolter bounced against her shoulders, his ears wrapped around her neck and his remaining limbs clinging tightly to the back of her t-shirt. "Loosen up," she managed between breaths, sneakers pounding the ground beneath her. She jumped over a protruding tree root and ducked around the wide tree.

A section of the tree trunk vaporized in a small purple explosion, and an angry female voice called after Kyoko and Bolter. "Oi! Get back here you -" Kyoko chanced a look back, and saw the irate pair of Tsukaimon in hot pursuit. The D-Vector clipped to the waistband of her shorts could have told her all about the little winged mammals, their dark fur and bad tempers.

They'd been sent after a small supply cache that Lexi and Riku had provided the location of. It was relatively close to Emilglen keep, and uncomfortably close to the deeper regions of Chronus. It was their hope that its destruction would hinder enemy operations for awhile, and it would make a good first step toward employing the wealth of intelligence Lexi and Riku had been willing to provide the Excalibur with.

"Blazing Ice!" called Bolter, spitting a small bluish dart back at their pursuers, but his aim wasn't the best. The two Tsukaimon each banked slightly to the side and let the shot pass between them. Pouting a little, Bolter fired again, this time at the leader, but his shot missed again. "Kyoko, I can't hit them with you bouncing around like this!"

Kyoko would've wanted very much to tell the soft brown bunny where to stuff it, but she was too busy running and making sure the two of them didn't get hit instead. Another bad message whizzed past them, making the girl wince.

She swung around a tree, the two Tsukaimon just behind her, when suddenly rock walls appeared out of the foliage on either side. She'd run straight into a small crevice, one that dead-ended in steeply-sloped stone rising up toward the canopy.

The female Tsukaimon cackled, hovering at the entrance, while her male cohort drifted closer, leering unpleasantly. "This is what you get for trying to plunder our supplies. We have you noooow," he said, singsong. Suddenly he scowled, his yellow eyes taking on an expression of contempt. "What are _you_smiling about?"

For Kyoko's face had split into a broad grin. "I was just about to say the same thing to you," she said, her eyes staring at something behind the two grunts.

"Yep," said the male tamer Kyoko was looking at. Cyrus Black couldn't help a little smirk as the two Tsukaimon swung around in the air in unison, looks of shock and disbelief on their furry little faces. The trappers had become the trapped, with rocks to the side, foliage above, and a tamer-partner pair in front and behind.

"Why don't you make this easy and surrender?" growled Hang, the masked Leppamon looming beside Cyrus. Her stance was low and slinky, coiled, ready to go. Her bladed tail rose overhead, quivering eagerly in anticipation of combat.

The male Tsukaimon gulped, while the female hissed, her paw swatting at the air before Hang like an angry feline. "I told you it was weird when she whistled to get our attention!" she snapped.

"Hey, you came along to chase her too!" retorted the male.

Bolter cleared his throat, interrupting the pair. "In case you forgot," he rolled his eyes. "You're surrounded."

The Tsukaimon exchanged glances, then nodded. "She's mine!" the female shrieked, launching herself at Hang. "Fluffy Att – Whoa!" A sharp blow from Hang's tail sent the Tsukaimon flying backwards.

Bolter leapt from Kyoko's shoulder. "Stay back, Kyoko! Petit Twister!" He zipped through the air like a spinning top, and intercepted the female Tsukaimon. She was sent flying back at Hang, while Bolter careened off at an angle and struck the other Tsukaimon.

Bolter again bounced, and then spread his ears wide to float. "Why you," growled the Tsukaimon. "Purple fog!" But even as the poisonous vapor drifted from his wings, a sweeping blade of wind knocked him into the rocky wall with a rough thud.

"Not bad, missy," chided Hang, stalking slowly closer to the female Tsukaimon, who had just dodged her attack. "Bolter, now!"

Bolter spun around as he landed. "Blazing Ice!" He fired a number of icy bullets from one side, at the same time that Hang fired a blade of wind from the other side. The two attacks struck the female Tsukaimon simultaneously, the twister of wind catching the shards of ice and repeatedly slicing the female Tsukaimon with them until she abruptly broke down.

"No!" growled the male Tsukaimon, stumbling upright after his impact with the cliff. Flexing his wings, he braced his body, his yellow eyes fixed on the drifting data particles of his dead comrade.

"No you don't, laddie," said Hang, pouncing viciously on the Tsukaimon before he could sponge up the data. "Frenzied Beast Fang Attack!" Each syllable was underlined by a swipe of her three-clawed feet, and with a final cry of agony, the remaining dark army soldier was felled as well.

"Whew," said Hang, straightening up a little and shaking herself off. "That's that. Let's get back to the supply cache."

"Why not take it with us?" said Bolter. "The best way to deprive your enemy of supplies is to use them yourself, eh?"

"It's too much to take with us," said Cyrus. "We're all operating in small groups right now, trying to hit as many of the targets that Lexi and Riku gave us before the dark army has a chance to redeploy."

Kyoko scooped Bolter back up on to her shoulders, still panting lightly. "That was a neat double attack, guys," she looked between Hang and Bolter, before patting the latter on the head. "It looked," she smirked a little. "Cool." She giggled at her own terrible pun.

Hang chuckled mildly. "It got the job done, alright," she said. "I guess we'll have to try it again some time?" she looked at Bolter.

"Definitely," agreed the Lopmon.

"Just one thing," said Kyoko. "Next time you two get to be the bait," she pointed sharply at Cyrus's chest for emphasis. Then she winked slyly and walked off. "Now let's go torch that supply cache."

"Pyro," teased Cyrus, falling into step beside the brunette, while Hang walked at his other side. His blue gaze drifted up through the canopy. This section of forest was largely dense enough to screen out most of the afternoon sun's rays, but his D-Vector confirmed that they had a few hours until dusk. "Who knows, we might even be able to hit the next cache before dark at this rate."

* * *

><p>It appeared to be little more than an abandoned farmstead, another monument to the terrible war that had wracked Chronus for years. But beneath it, in the storm cellar, was a hidden supply cache used by Vakner's forces. Food, water, weapons, equipment for counterfeiting documents and currency, and other supplies were housed there, under a small guard detachment. That guard detachment however had been destroyed by the efforts of Cyrus, Hang, Kyoko, and Bolter, the four who now stood outside the house in its overgrown yard.<p>

"Think Katsup and Arcsinh's outing were as exciting as this?" Bolter said, sitting atop a crooked, rotting fencepost. "They were actually collapsing a tunnel junction, weren't they?"

Hang nodded. "Along with a group of Goblimon Sappers from the 3rd Combat Engineering division." Her tail was once again quivering, ready for action.

Cyrus sighed, his blue eyes distant. "I guess it all explains why the kingdom has had so much trouble. It's hard to fight an enemy that's already taken such root in your territory. Supply dumps, tunnels, saboteurs, informants." He pulled out his D-Vector. "Those two sure did us a lot of good," he said softly.

Kyoko shifted uncomfortably, but it was Hang who spoke. "And it's the only reason they're not sharing an eight by eight cell for the rest of their lives."

"Which probably wouldn't have been long," Bolter added. "Even if they were jailed, another prisoner probably would've done them in. Criminals have lost family and friends to this war, too."

"I guess," said Cyrus, rubbing his arm. "Well," he straightened up. "Let's do it. Hang?"

"I thought you'd never ask. Blast Razor Wind!" Hang slammed her tail forward, creating a crescent shaped blade of wind that sailed toward the dilapidated dwelling.

"Blazing ice!" Though lacking Hang's heavier firepower, Bolter did his part, peppering one sagging corner of the house with his icy bullets.

"Dejisooru Chaaji!" Kyoko cried, her hand glowing radiant pink. A bolt of energy shot from her D-Vector, joining the barrage. The house bucked and shook, catching fire as the compromised corner collapsed. "Again!" Kyoko's eyes blazed as she fired off another bolt of energy. She'd initially been less than willing to join this fight... but the dark army had made it personal the day they kidnapped Jeanette. _I'll turn 'em upside-down and inside-out to get her back._

The second salvo struck, and the blazing ruin collapsed in on itself as the fire spread rapidly. Blades of air and bullets of ice had compromised what little support the building had left to it, and the basement full of enemy supplies was now covered in burning wreckage. "There," Kyoko said softly, the light around her hand fading. "It's done."

The day was winding to a close, perhaps an hour until dusk, but their work was far from over. They'd been given a list of targets, of which this supply cache had been their first. Cyrus perused the list, entered into his digivice. "Up next is another supply stash, near the Seras river, and then there's a barmaid in the next town who's an undercover spy."

"We can probably hit the supply cache by sunset," said Hang. "Then we can head to that town, we'll look like more travelers needing a place for the night."

* * *

><p>The group had followed a stream to where it joined the larger whole of the Seras river, just outside the tree line, and Kyoko paused to consult her map. "We're almost there, guys," she said. "According to this, it's hidden in a tree... not really even a supply cache like the last one, it's just a quick little rest closet for runners and spies."<p>

"It's the next target I'm more worried about," said Cyrus. "We're gonna have to figure out how to deal with that spy, in a whole town full of people."

"We _are_on military business," Bolter pointed out, snacking idly on a package of cheesy popcorn.

"But we don't exactly have badges, do we?" said Kyoko, picking up Cyrus's train of thought. She playfully snatched a piece of popcorn from Bolter's bag and munched on it. "We could end up causing a scene, which we don't want either."

"Right," said Cyrus. "And it doesn't help that some Digimon are pretty discriminatory, like Rathar."

"Rust for brains," grunted Bolter. "If he's not careful he'll end up on the wrong end up a beatdown."

"Well, well, well," said a familiar voice, as the group past by a denser thicket of trees. "Look who it is." Kyoko spotted a moving blur to her side as a familiar pair of Digimon materialized in the shadow of a nearby tree.

It was a Sealsdramon and a Commandramon, in fact, from the Commandramon's voice, Kyoko guessed it to be the same one they'd encountered before. "Glad to see the four of you are still on the right side," Sealsdramon said, his sinuous form strutting into the open.

"What are you guys doing out here?" asked Bolter, polishing off the last of his popcorn and lazily licking his fingers. "I thought the supply cache here was our target."

"It was," admitted the Sealsdramon. "But the spy _we_were chasing tried to use it to recoup."

"He is no longer with us," Commandramon smirked, while idly twirling a grenade in his claws. "Enclosed spaces plus shrapnel equals a big mess." He chuckled darkly.

"Either way," said the Sealsdramon. "The targets were eliminated. We're moving on, I'd suggest you do the same. It's unwise to wander the woods at night these days."

"Not to worry," said Cyrus. "Our next target is in the town up the road, we're heading there for the night."

"Roger that," said the Sealsdramon, but he suddenly stiffened. Straightening up, he looked around, his visor clicking. "We're not alone. Incoming," he hissed. He made a hand signal to the Commandramon, who nodded, apparently understanding. Sealsdramon faded from sight, the dark green plates of his armored form blurring as they took on the exact appearance of his surroundings.

"Who's there?" said Cyrus, as Hang put herself between her tamer and the direction Sealsdramon had seen the threat in. Something was pushing through the forest toward them; twigs snapped and leaves rustled.

"We're armed!" snapped Hang. "Try anything funny and you'll regret it!"

The Commandramon leveled his rifle at the disturbance, taking the safety off and chambering a round.

With a final push, a form broke through the thick growth and emerged from behind the broad, coffin-shaped metal shield she held. It was a human girl, her hair blond, her skin pale. Her blue eyes were accented by mascara, and she wore a long-sleeve, knee-length red and black dress. She wore spiked leather bracers, spiderweb-pattern stockings, and knee-high leather boots.

Though the rest of the hair was in a different style – braided and tightly wound into buns – than Kyoko had last seen it, there was no mistaking the pink bangs or that lovely full, pasty face just below them. "Net-chan!" Kyoko exclaimed, but even as the words left her mouth, she could feel something was wrong.

"Stay back!" Bolter warned, abruptly springing over Kyoko's shoulder and landing before her, his arms spread in a blocking gesture as he faced Jeanette.

Those blue eyes, so different than the last time Kyoko had seen them, suddenly flashed red. As an obscured form shifted behind Jeanette, the blonde swung the shield around, blocking the 18-inch knife from piercing her from behind.

"No!" Kyoko cried, seeing Commandramon level his rifle at Jeanette. But as the cyborg reached for the trigger, Jeanette's eyes locked onto him. Her free hand swung forward.

"_Vague de noir!_" A cloud of shrieking bats burst into existence, biting and clawing at the Commandramon. The cyborg struggled to beat them off, clawing and biting. His gun went off, felling one bat, but the others kept up their work.

Her arm quaking with the effort of holding back the Sealsdramon's knife, Jeanette wrenched the shield around. "_Lance de noir!_" Her eyes flashed again and her right arm shifted, elongating into a sharp black point. She swung around, driving the spear at the Sealsdramon's leg. He stepped back just in time, the blow gouging his armor as it glanced off an angled plate.

"Net-chan?" whimpered Kyoko. It was her, but this was all _wrong_, her attire, her hair, her glasses' absence, the look in her eyes. A fine shiver of terror radiated down Kyoko's spine, and a feeling of dread stronger than even the one she'd felt joining the battle at Arcwater settled over her.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Cyrus said tersely, his digisoul flaring to life. "Using those powers? That thing took Jeanette after it left Lexi." He thumbed a button on his D-Vector, and golden light wove itself into armor on Hang's slender form. "She's been possessed."

"No," Kyoko pleaded, her eyes starting to burn. She looked at Jeanette, willing it to not be true, that the blond hadn't been taken, forced to fight, or even worse, somehow volunteering to do it. _She'd never – this isn't her!_

* * *

><p><strong>Skyvale village, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Lexi Tashimi paused as she exited the store. She breathed deeply of the open air and enjoyed the sun's warmth upon her skin. She felt... so light and free now, almost as if she could attribute the last several weeks as nothing more than an especially vivid nightmare. It was over now. A radiant smile appeared on her face as she leaned her head back, letting the wind blow her hair.

Riku, walking behind Lexi, bumped into her leg when she stopped. "Hey," he said, slightly puzzled. "What gives?"

"Oh, sorry," she said, her ears going pink, and she started walking again. "I just... I was stuck in that mess a long time. It's almost weird, finally being free of it all."

"Yeah," Riku said softly, falling into step beside Lexi. The girl, it seemed, kept her pace slow enough that the Impmon didn't have to exert his shorter legs too much. Part of it he imagined was her ankle, which while the splint had been taken off, she still walked with a telltale limp. "I can imagine. That's why I think we should head west... the dark army has no real presence there. We could... even leave the kingdom." He shrugged, and Lexi knew it was a possibility. The kingdom had sprung up over centuries around primary village, which was considered to be the effective center of the Digital World. Digimon certainly lived beyond that, both in the wild, and other communities beyond the reach of the two warring powers.

Lexi leisurely strolled down the single, small road in the village. In the shadow of Emilglen Keep, it was probably one of the safer regions, even though the village itself was small, probably having started as little more than a place for traders to conduct business and soldiers to relax outside the military complex.

She'd finally had a chance to replace the battered armor she'd been wearing, with threads far more comfortable purchased from the shop. Tennis shoes, skinny jeans, a belt with a decorative buckle, a cute sleeveless top, and a light jacket over that. It only highlighted the lightness she now felt, like the crushing weight of the sky itself had finally lifted from her shoulders.

"It's a shame Cyrus is so busy helping the Excalibur with the targets I provided," said Lexi, idly turning her D-Vector over in her hands. It hung from a strap around her neck, another item she'd picked up.

Riku chuckled, casting a knowing glance up at the tamer. "At least he took that batshit crazy girl with him."

"Her, yeah," Lexi said softly, her eyes dropping. "To Kera, that girl – Jeanette – was just a powerful tool, a potential host. But I guess Kyoko was close to her."

"Another victim of their ambition," said the Impmon, his three-fingered hands unfolding a map. "Like there aren't enough of those."

"Yeah," said Lexi. She tightened the shoulder strap on the tote bag she was carrying, stocked with provisions for their journey. Lexi turned and gazed up the street, her eyes upon the setting sun. It wasn't the wisest to travel after dark, even near a keep that had regular patrols, but the duo had agreed to get moving as soon as possible.

"C'mon, Riku," Lexi murmured, turning forward again. The sun was setting, but the rest of her life was just now dawning.

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forest, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Kyoko watched in utter horror as Jeanette tangled with the Sealsdramon and Commandramon. The girl she'd thought so fragile and delicate was a whirlwind of destruction, keeping her shield between herself and the two cyborgs while attacking every chance she got with the fiendish powers of Lady Devimon.

"We've gotta help them out!" said Cyrus, looking at Kyoko.

"No!" pleaded Kyoko. "We can't hurt her!"

"If we don't do something, she'll hurt us next!" growled Hang, the armor from Cyrus's driver shining brightly in the growing gloom.

"And that doesn't work for me," said Bolter, still positioned in front of Kyoko. "Do you have any drivers that can stop her?"

Kyoko and Cyrus both shook their heads, while the girl was pale and trembling. "Net-chan!" she cried desperately, running forward.

"No!" exclaimed Cyrus, grabbing her, holding her back. "You'll just get caught in the crossfire."

"M-16 Assassin!" The Commandramon leveled his rifle and fired, but as he did, Jeanette spawned another wave of bats. They soaked up the storm of lead, and descended toward the Commandramon. The cyborg was once again stuck trying to beat off the attack, but it seemed Sealsdramon was taking advantage of the diversion.

Sealsdramon circled behind Jeanette, quiet as a ghost. His knife gleamed as it slid forward with deadly grace, but Jeanette turned her head and saw the attack coming out of the corner of her eye. "_Martinet de assomer!_" A length of chain clattered loudly as it wavered into being. One end was held in Jeanette's hand, the other quickly wrapped itself around the outstretched arm and knife.

Sidestepping, Jeanette heaved, trying to send the Sealsdramon flying, but it seemed that even using his own momentum against him, whatever was juicing up her strength could only do so much. The Adult-level cyborg simply fell to the ground on the spot, groaning.

The chain dissipated, and Jeanette reached her other hand toward the shield. At a touch, part of the sides sprang open, slinging forward. They resembled wicked scissors, and when they joined together at the base of the shield, it formed a broad blade.

Just as Jeanette brought the blade down to strike, the Commandramon checked her from the side. Crying out, the youth stumbled, feet scrabbling as she tried to regain her balance.

Hang growled under her breath. "Sorry Kyoko, but this one time we've got to be cruel to be KIND! Rolling Sky-Splitting Slash!" The Leppamon barreled forward, her body blurring. The air hummed as though a great saw was cutting through the air, and she hurtled at Jeanette.

"No!" Kyoko cried out, grabbing Cyrus's arm. "Make her stop! We – we have to talk to her! Make her see what she's doing is wrong!"

Cyrus's expression was grim, and his body clenched. "Lexi told me what it's like to have that thing – Kera – inside you. Jeanette's been missing for days... imagine what she must have gone through."

Kyoko's teeth clenched in frustration. Why wasn't anyone trying to _talk_to Jeanette? She was the nicest person Kyoko had ever met, surely she'd listen to reasonable conversation... she just needed someone to snap her out of it. This... this wasn't how Jeanette was supposed to be.

Jeanette retracted the blades on her shield, raising it to block the oncoming Leppamon. Light flared around the shield as Hang plowed into it, but it was still enough to overwhelm the comparatively tiny tamer.

Crying out, the blond was sent tumbling back into the dirt. The shield skittered away. Panting and wincing, one eye squeezed shut, she rolled over to see the two first recon cyborgs and Hang forming a loose half circle around her.

"End of the line, missy," said Hang, slowly edging closer, as did Sealsdramon and Commandramon.

Jeanette pushed herself up the tree behind her, and her navy eyes flickered toward the shield.

"Don't even think about it," snapped Commandramon, the barrel of his rifle coming up.

"Net-chan!" Kyoko barged into the circle, breathless. Bolter was hot on her heels. "W-what are you doing, Jeanette? I thought you wanted to _fight_these guys, not join them!"

"Zat was before you 'elped zem capture me!" Jeanette spat, her fingers flexing.

"Get out of the way," Commandramon said in a quiet, bur urgent voice to Kyoko. "She still has Digimon powers, remember?"

Kyoko knew that full well, and took a step closer, even as Bolter grabbed her ankle and tried to hold her back. "I'm sorry," Kyoko whispered, tears leaking down her cheeks, untouched. "Gomen-gomen'nasai. I'm so, so sorry! Lexi... she caught me before I met you at Primary Village... did something to me so I'd obey her commands later. I-I couldn't help it, Jeanette!" Her voice trembled badly as she spoke, her whole body quivering as her heart ached, reliving what had happened. "It took me awhile to stop myself... by then it was too late."

Jeanette's expression was unreadable, her blue eyes so cold and sad compared to the last time Kyoko had seen them. "Y-you promised you would protect me!"

"I know, I know!" Kyoko sobbed. "We – we wanted to-to go rescue you, but we didn't know where to look. L-lexi wouldn't tell us," Jeanette bristled at the sound of the name, and her expression clouded further. "B-b-but we're here now," Kyoko said, trying to steady her voice even as she futilely scrubbed her cheeks. "We c-can help you. J-just come back to us..."

Kyoko could see the conflict roiling in Jeanette eyes, but they seemed oddly distant, as if she was listening to someone else. "Please," begged Kyoko, taking another step forward. Jeanette's hands clutched the sides of her head, hair poking through her fingers as she ground her temples in apparent frustration."We don't have to be enemies," Kyoko went on. "Net-chan... I -"

There was a surge of motion behind Kyoko. At the same moment, Commandramon and Sealsdramon lurched into motion. "Take her!" barked the Sealsdramon, and he, along with the Commandramon, vanished from view. Kyoko saw their blurs rush forward.

Jeanette's expression hardened. With a piercing cry, almost a predatory sound, she swept her hand around. A swarm of bats materialized, rushing forward. Their echolocation let them find the two hidden warriors, as did the simple fact that there was no way for the cyborgs to get through such a dense formation of bats without touching them. Another sweep of Jeanette's hand, and another, and another, like she was conducting some demented orchestra, and the reinforced wave of night raiders descended upon Jeanette's enemies.

Kyoko cried out, throwing up her arms and shielding herself. Yet the bats parted around her like water on rock, with not a bite or scratch delivered to Kyoko even as she heard the yells of the others. Gathering her daring, she tried to push through the tide of furry bodies and leathery wings. It was like walking in a strong wind, but still they avoided her directly.

Gasping, Kyoko finally broke through, but it was to see Jeanette snatched up her fallen shield. "Wait!" Kyoko cried desperately, running after her. Jeanette snapped around, a wild look in her eyes as they fell upon Kyoko. Kyoko reached out a hand, but Jeanette turned and sprang into the air, lifted by some unseen force. Jeanette crashed up through the foliage, and was soon gone from sight...

The night raiders vanished soon after their mistress had gone, leaving the others to lick their wounds. "I think I know it feels like to get stung by a Flybeemon now," groaned Bolter, sipping some water from the canteen Kyoko had given him, and then pouring some on a stinging wound on one of his ears.

Cyrus seated himself, legs folded, on a tree stump. "She must have been sent out to try and stop whoever is targeting Vakner's logistics," he mused. "I don't think she expected to run into us..." He was dabbing some ointment on a wound near his neck, a place Kyoko might have found amusing in better times.

"Tch," said Hang. "She's not as strong as I thought she'd be."

Commandramon shrugged and snorted slightly. "It's a sign of intelligence, not weakness, to bail on a fight that doesn't favor you." He was currently field-stripping his rifle, for while his armor had protected his person from harm, the weapon's mechanisms were jammed with bat fur and other less savory things.

"If she's trying to protect Vakner's assets," Cyrus said slowly, looking sideways at Kyoko. "We're going to run into her again."

Kyoko nodded without looking at him, but her gaze was intense and she seemed very much alert. Her eyes were slightly swollen and bloodshot, but were dry now. "That saves us the trouble of looking for her." She paused. "I'm not gonna stop till I get her back."

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi and Riku goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura Sugiyama goes to Schmegkopf

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> This has been an intermittent project for me, posted on another site until now, so I had a backlog of sorts to post up. This represents the most recent chapter, and updates will now probably come a couple of times a month.


	26. Chapter 26

**Like a Monster**

* * *

><p>"<em>Girl!" The middle-aged man bit off the word as he stood at his desk, occupying the corner office of the large tower. He was thickset but not entirely unfit, and had a large but neatly trimmed mustache speckled with gray. His hair was brown, as were his eyes, and the company president was currently even redder than usual as he loomed over the small girl standing opposite him.<em>

"Your grades are starting to slip again," the man went on tersely, tapping a finger hard on the desk's fine wooden surface for emphasis. I've given you

everything _a girl could ever want, and you can't even return the simple matter of taking advantage of the private school and all the tutors available to you."_

"But father," Jeanette mumbled, her eyes fixed on the desk, unable to meet the towering man's imperious gaze. "I'm

trying _but it's this disease -"_

"Rubbish," spat the man, shaking his head. "Like every teenager. Obstinate and lazy. If I'd known to expect this from you, I'd have left you to rot in that orphanage." Jeanette winced, but her adoptive father took no notice of the sheen in her eyes or the slump in her shoulders. "All I have done for you, and I ask for your diligence and obedience in return, and you can't even do that! When you're not sleeping the day away, you're fiddling around with obsolete gadgets!"

Jeanette bit back a remark about the orphanage being preferable. Trying to talk back, to make a supposedly shrewd and intelligent businessman see sense, simply made him angrier. Jeanette wanted to succeed, wanted to do well in school, but her body wouldn't cooperate. Him coming down on her harder didn't change anything. She found herself cursing whatever had prevented he and his wife from being able to conceive normally, and gotten her stuck with him instead, while he tried relentlessly to shape and pound her into something that was more of a groomed future employee than a treasured daughter.

"It's called a hobby -" Jeanette began, but her father cut her off again.

"Fishing, woodworking, sewing, gardening, painting, those are hobbies. You have something to show for them, a salmon on a plaque, a decoration for your home. The cell phone I bought for you contains technology the people that made your silly Atari could never have even dreamed of! And don't interrupt me," he said gruffly, shuffling some papers idly – like his daughter wasn't even worth his full attention – and tucking them inside a desk drawer.

"I've been far too soft with you," he went on, drumming his fingers on the edge of the desk. "That much is clear to me now. But I've invested far too much in this to lose to some lazy, overweight brat!" Jeanette's face twitched, even as she felt hollow inside. It never ended. What was the point? It wasn't like she deliberately spited him, not most of the time anyway.

"And that ridiculous hair!" He barked, pounding a fist. Jeanette started, flinching back half a step. "I know I raised you better than that! It's unprofessional and silly, that's what it is." He slowly hissed out a breath, his teeth nearly clenched, his eyes fixed on Jeanette. "Well? Say something!"

A shiver ran across Jeanette's face.

He's the one telling me not to interrupt, _she thought bitterly. "Nothing I can say will fix anything, will it father?" she replied tonelessly. "So what's the point?"  
><em>_  
>He growled at that. "Spineless, too! Life gives you nothing, you have to take what you need, by whatever means necessary. I built this company from nothing! You think I could have pulled that off without serious drive? It's that drive you lack, content to squander your time, talents, intelligence on idle pursuits. I gave to you, now you must give back to me. You'll be assigned a personal minder to ensure that you give the necessary attention to your studies and improve your grades. Do you understand?"<em>

Jeanette remained silent, avoiding meeting her father's eye even as he leaned forward.

"Do you understand?" _he repeated, coming around the edge of the desk now, and looming over his daughter. Despite the dangerous tone in his voice, to Jeanette, it seemed to echo from far away. Growling at her continued silence, he drew back an open palm._

A blue eye flickered upward as Jeanette registered the oncoming blow, but she didn't flinch back from it. Instead, a leather-clad hand caught the blow, and wicked crimson claws clenched down painfully. Her blue eyes jerked up, but they were no longer detached and apathetic. They burned with a primal fire, and her lips pulled back in a twisted, devilish grin. "Never again," she breathed.

Jeanette launched herself at her father, the black claws of her other slender, leathery hand coming around. Like the talons of a bird of prey they struck.

* * *

><p><strong>Outpost Blight, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Jeanette jerked upright, gasping for air. Her right hand still hung in attack position, but it was now just mundane and human. She was drenched in sweat, the sheets of her expansive bed twisted around her by her tossing and turning during the nightmare. The few times she slept well enough to dream she'd had ones like that before, at least up until the point of going Lady Devimon on her father in name only.

Though her heart thudded against her ribs, Jeanette felt a certain exhilaration from that dream. She'd had many conversations with her father just like that one, and had always wanted to tell him where to stuff it, but had never been able to muster the courage, fearing it would just make things worse.

Sliding out of bed, she poured herself a glass of water from a pitcher. She gulped greedily, her throat feeling parched, and then pressed the cool glass to her forehead, enjoying the sensation. Her mind was mercifully quiet, almost devoid of Kera's presence. Lacking a truly corporeal form, did the Lady Devimon sleep? Jeanette didn't know, but it appeared as though the dark lady needed to enter some sort of meditative state on a regular basis. To this, Jeanette did not object, for it gave her at least some time of relative peace.

After stripping out of her night clothes, Jeanette perused the wardrobe against one wall. A variety of clothing was here, including armor similar to what Alexis had worn. Since combat was not on the day's agenda however, she opted for a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeve shirt of blood red. The jeans had a red design stitched into the pockets, resembling slanted crimson eyes.

She turned her D-Vector over in her hands. The device's colors had shifted, with black trim overlaid on the existing design, which seemed darker, more muted overall. She slipped it into a wrist strap on her left forearm, that kept the device in reach.

Jeanette marched toward the wooden doors, and pushed them wide. The guards to either side were missing, but the outpost was a flurry of activity. Blight's defenses had been enhanced to hinder any outside intrusion at the disappearance of one of the scout parties sent to recapture Alexis, a precaution that seemed very wise now with attacks all across Chronus on once-covert assets. Much of the base's infrastructure was being packed up, so that the base could be abandoned at the first sign of enemy attack.

Jeanette's first task in the dark army had been to use Kera's power to protect some of the remaining supplies and agents in the area. _I never dreamed... I'd run into them again so soon._ It made her wonder whether what she was doing was the right thing. But what had they done for her? Nothing. Even with a source that had clearly provided the Excalibur with inside information, they'd never come for her at Blight. _I thought I finally had people that actually cared_, she thought distantly.

Her rumbling stomach drew Jeanette up one floor to the lounge. It seemed to be the quietest level in the place, though the rustle of activity below wafted up through the central shaft. Digging through the large refrigerator, Jeanette thought about what an odd combination of technology levels the Digital World had, but dismissed it as she found some frozen waffles. Slotting them in the toaster, she turned and realized she wasn't alone in the room.

Led MacNeill was sitting at one of the nearby tables, working on scrambled eggs. They had been slathered with ketchup and dusted with pepper. Next to her plate was a cup of steaming coffee, and her D-Cannon was propped against her chair. "Oh, it's you," said Led. She frowned for a moment, but then the chair opposite her at the table was pushed back by her boot.

Pouring herself some pineapple juice and plucking the hot waffles from the toaster, Jeanette made her way over. Nodding to Led, she seated herself at the table, to which the older tamer simply shrugged. "You sure picked up those powers quick," commented Led between idle bites.

"Did I?" said Jeanette, pouring syrup on her waffles. In a way, she had found Led's friendlier behavior the last few days strange. The mercenary had started overtly hostile, but seemed to have lightened considerably. Jeanette's best guess was that this was what things were like on the other side of the fence. Jeanette had asserted herself when she attacked over the insult, and now Led knew not to mess around with her.

"Yeah," said Led dismissively. "I didn't meet Kera's first host, when she was initially experimenting with the power she has to enter a tamer's body. I think he might've died." Her tone was remarkably casual and carefree. "Alexis on the other hand took awhile to adapt to it, and Kera was in her for probably close to two months. 'Course, she only went along with it because she had to, she didn't enjoy it like you seem to."

Jeanette's stomach flip-flopped at that remark, but she put it out of her mind as she took a sip of juice.

"You're probably wondering why I fight for the dark army, just for money," said Led, poking the hash browns on the corner of her plate.

"I suppose," admitted Jeanette.

"I finally had a way to make money for myself," said Led. "To take control of my life, instead of just living with other peoples' decisions. I fought for a group of bandits in the northeast first, but one of Vakner's officers found me and made an offer I couldn't refuse. This might be a world of Digimon, but money still makes it go round. Clothes, toys, entertainment, I can have it all now."

"You didn't growing up?" Jeanette asked. She was curious about Led's background, but imagined that sooner or later Led would find the riches as unfulfilling as Jeanette found having only material needs met.

"No," Led sounded bitter. "I'm from Ireland, y'know?" Now that it was pointed out, Jeanette did notice the accent, though it seemed very slight for some reason. "Not that I really feel connected with the place any more." Maybe that was why her speech sounded more generic. "My mother was killed during political unrest when I was little, leaving just dad and my two brothers. He just kept on teaching at that stupid little college, even though he could have made more elsewhere. We never really went hungry, but we never had much." She impaled a bit of egg. "I got the invite and said yes, because I just wanted out... then I realized I had the power to get everything I'd ever wanted."

"What about you?" Led asked, her eyes softening slightly. Eyes that after a moment, Jeanette noticed were hazel instead of their usual pink. She blinked, and her puzzlement showed. "What?" Led said, somewhat defensively. "Oh, my eyes?"

"Yes -"

"They're not naturally pink," Led explained. "Contacts. And my hair is dyed, like yours," Her eyes lingered on the pink lock of hair over Jeanette's left eye.

"I thought it was weird at first," Led went on, between bites of food. "I'm not the only spirit evolver in the Digital World, though it does seem kinda rare."

"I knew one," said Jeanette, thinking of Colin, and wondering distantly what had happened to him.

"I do know," Led went on, reaching down, a certain note of pride in her voice. She tugged her gun into view. "This is my D-Cannon. There aren't any others like it, and this one's mine." The teen smirked. "It does everything your average D-Vector does, plus gives me a weapon without the spirit. Fires variable intensity directed energy bursts. Suitable for knocking someone down with... minimal damage, or burning through reinforced Digizoid, if I've got the time. That drains the power cell faster than it can regenerate, though."

"'ow did you get it?" To date, Jeanette hadn't seen anyone with anything other than a standard D-Vector, and she couldn't imagine anyone knowing enough about the esoteric devices to start fiddling with them.

"I started out with it," Led shrugged flippantly. "Took me a little while to figure out how to use the spirits it can store, up until then I'd just been blasting whatever I had to." She tapped a series of buttons on a panel recessed into the side of the weapon. A holographic miniature of a humanoid in gold and black armor winked into being. "I started out with this guy – Lowemon, the Human Spirit of Darkness. It lets me turn into the Digimon itself, and the power is all mine, except for the beast spirit's instincts."

"Instincts?"

"Yeah," Led leaned forward a little, oddly seeming to enjoy herself now. "Kaiser Leomon almost has a mind of his own. Usually he wants to fight, it can be hard sometimes to go after priority targets when there's something right in front of us to fight instead."

"And zey are spirits of darkness, you say?" Jeanette wasn't certain why she would make an issue out of it, considering the nightmarish creature she semi-voluntarily drew her power from. She supposed it was just something surreal about the situation, finding it hard to believe she had joined the side she'd so recently been willing to fight against.

"Meh," Led returned her weapon to its spot propped against her chair. "It's just power. It's not good or evil, it's whatever someone makes of it. There are spirits based around other elements, like fire and wood. Darkness is just another one of those, and it's usually only those bigots in the kingdom who automatically think darkness equals bad."

* * *

><p>Jeanette returned to Kera's chambers after eating, and felt her handler rousing from her dormant state. Before she could get settled in however, there was a knock at the chamber door. "Enter," Jeanette said in a clipped tone, not really feeling like dealing with any interruptions at this point.<p>

The doors opened and a small, rounded biped strode in. The Kougamon's face was masked in purple fabric, and the body was adorned with assorted weapons, belts, and metal plates. "Ma'am," she snapped off a salute, before holding up a vaguely familiar chip. "This is loaded with several drivers I believe you'll find useful. They'll be better than the standard ones available in the kingdom, based on much older ones the Excalibur considered too dangerous to redistribute."

"Very well," said Jeanette, omitting her thanks only with effort as the Kougamon deposited the chip and left. The few times she had shown much in the way of politeness, the assorted minions she dealt with had regarded her strangely. She wondered instead where the drivers had all come from in the first place. From the sound of things, humans had only been arriving in the last several months at most, yet much already seemed in place. Perhaps whatever unknown force enticed the humans in the first place was behind it.

"_How goes the uprooting?"_Kera's voice echoed within Jeanette's mind.

_On schedule so far,_ Jeanette replied. _Do you really think it's necessary?_

"_I am more shocked it has __**not**__ yet been,"_ said the demoness. "_Alexis clearly gave them inside information, and the damage that has done to our support structures_" Jeanette could feel Kera stiffen slightly, but the Lady Devimon seemed to rein in any real distress she felt. "_Will delay things, but it has hardly turned the inexorable tide."_

You think she'll want revenge,

Jeanette thought, flopping down at a desk in the corner and idly flipping through the pages of an open book that had been left there. She didn't really catch a word of it, though she caught glimpses of the pictures, one of two teal-armored angels standing together, and another of a broad-shouldered figure in magnificent red and gold plate and a spike-adorned helmet standing with them.

"_Yes,"_ said Kera, and Jeanette could feel irritation rolling off the Lady Devimon. _She was obstinate, preferring foolish resistance to joining Lord Vakner's cause, and the rewards of embracing it. I had hoped the kingdom would simply execute her for her crimes, but it seems they were more prudent than I would have cared for._

That familiar projection of Lady Devimon appeared beside Jeanette, and a grin most wicked and cold twisted her pale visage. "_I look forward to the day we recapture her, and punish her most direly for what she has done. I shall let you have your fun with that most pleasant duty. How does __that sound, hm?_"

Jeanette was less than happy with Alexis herself. The blond knew what it was like to be Kera's host, to feel as if her desires, dreams, and thoughts could be twisted around, but for her actions to still be her own at the end of the day. She did this because she wanted to. For all Kera's words about Lexi being unwilling, it would have been no different. That meant that Lexi found someone else to hold this hot potato, this curse, and fled at her first chance. It reminded her of an old myth she heard, of the giant Atlas, bound to hold up the heavens for eternity, unless he could find someone else to take the burden for him.

Jeanette flipped the book shut and sighed. _Where is everything being relocated to?_

Kera chuckled softly. "_Another base, to the northeast of here, and just as well hidden. Well, more well-hidden really, for there will not be some brown-haired, frog-witted harpy to give away our location this time. I will not make the same mistake again,"_Jeanette felt a chill run down her spine, knowing that Kera wouldn't be so careless next time.

_So... when will we head east?_Jeanette knew that their primary reason for choosing her as a host was to hopefully use her power to free their imprisoned master.

"_In time,_ Kera replied silkily. "_You tired far more quickly than I might have expected in battle against those tamers. Your body will need training to strengthen itself and further acclimate it to my power. We can see about playing tag with some of the patrols near Arcwater, perhaps._"

* * *

><p><strong>Seras River, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Three beings meandered along the wide, gushing waters of the Seras River. The river served as the dividing line in most areas between the northern and eastern provinces, and despite the dangers of increasing Dark Army encroachment, Zander Steele seemed reluctant to leave. His partner Koro was with him as ever, and Colin was still hanging around with him too.

"Despite some of the problems here," Colin said, rubbing his stubbly chin. "I kinda like this world... it's so open and," he paused, thinking over his words. "I wouldn't exactly call it _peaceful_with the bandits and spookers and all that running around, but there is a certain serenity."

"Is that what you're after?" Zander said quietly. In contrast to Colin's attire, with hiking boots, blue jeans, and a warm jacket of average colors, Zander's stood out, with black leather boots, black pants, a gray shirt with a white design on it, and a trench coat billowing behind him as he walked.

"I guess," Colin shrugged. "I hadn't really had that computer for all that long when I got that e-mail, I thought it was an invite to some kind of nature club in the area."

"I suppose you could say that," Koro gave a mechanical chortle. "This is nature."

"It's also as far as you can get from..." Zander paused. "Any area on earth."

"What about you, Zan?" Colin asked, a spring in his step as the minutes slowly ticked by. "What made you come here?"

Zander's silver eyes flickered, and his thin lips curled into almost a smirk. "That's pretty easy," he said. "Power. In the real world, what were humans? There were billions more just like us, for all intents and purposes, just drops in one big cosmic bucket. Every once in awhile one would come along who really mattered, who shaped the world, left their mark, their legacy upon it. Gunpowder. Electricity. Splitting the atom. Journeying to the stars. Peace. War. But here... what has the kingdom told us? A hundred or so tamers? In all this world? _That_is a chance to act."

Colin looked sideways at Zander, feeling faintly unsettled by the other tamer's choice of words. Power. Something synonymous with corruption, the ultimate point that too much of a good thing could be very, very bad. He'd learned that from a young age, and was reminded of it time after time in his life, even in unlikely places.

Zander chuckled softly. "I know what you're thinking. But power is just a tool. A sword can be used to kill for gain, or it can be used to protect."

_Usually by killing another anyway,_Colin appended mentally, but held his tongue from voicing that thought.

"So what will you do with your sword, Zander?" asked Koro.

"Still working on that part," admitted Zander. "This world's a big place. The kingdom takes up most of it, but the world clearly extends beyond that. Maybe there's a place for me in one of those outlying areas. Or maybe there will be something to be done in the kingdom, once this war is all over, one way or the other."

"And you, Colin?"

The southerner could only shrug. "Don't have much use for big plans, to be honest. Like my grandpa Max always said, if you wanna hear God laugh, make plans. Me, I'm happy just being me on each new day. I'd rather just stroll along and smell the pines, really."

"And the odd meat tree," added Koro. "They smell better than meat bushes. And a whole lot better than meat vines."

Both tamers were silent a moment in bemusement, but Zander was the first to break it. "I'll take your word for it."

"Looks like there's something up ahead," said Colin, pointing to the apex of a bend in the river. Nestled against an outcropping of trees, a small collection of dwellings were visible. "Shall we go introduce ourselves?"

"Sounds good to me," said Koro.

* * *

><p>The cluster of buildings was too small to really be a village, but at the same time was a very robust camp. Colin held up his D-Vector as the group approached, and it identified each of the half-dozen or so Digimon there in turn. A Neemon lazed near the bank, the beast Digimon's eyes perpetually closed, his ears twitching faintly, his hands gripping a fishing pole, a great gray mustache on his face and his lower half covered in what looked like brown pajamas. Two Koromon bounced around near the bank, locked in a ongoing game of tag. An avian Piyomon was seated near a fire, cooking some of the fish they'd clearly caught, while an Otamamon worked on preserving them.<p>

The last two denizens of the fishing camp however, did not require the D-Vector for Colin to recognize them, and in fact it wouldn't have worked on one of them anyway. "Arcsinh? Katsumura? What are you two doing here?"

"Good to see you guys," said Arcsinh, clinging to the back of Katsumura's jacket. "How do you do?"

The spiky-haired brunette had a rather dour expression as she grudgingly removed her headphones, eying the boys and Hagurumon with mismatched eyes. " What are we doing here? I could ask you the same question," she said bluntly.

"Exploring, I suppose," said Colin, looking to the Piyomon as the bird hopped toward them. "These fellas out here fishing?"

"Indeed," said the Piyomon with a little bow. This Piyomon seemed more red than pink, and his voice was notably male. "I am Tor, and these are my companions. We provide fish to the local villages to make our living, not an easy thing to do in these trying times..."

The Neemon gave a dry, derisive chuckle. "You get used to it," the Neemon's voice sounded old and crotchety, fitting his gray facial hair. "I still remember when the war wasn't all that active – a skirmish now and again, back before you tamers helped stir things up."

"C'mon, gramps," said the Otamamon, the tadpole looking up from the fish she was salting.

"Don't call me that!" the Neemon said grouchily.

Otamamon rolled her eyes and went on. "Things were getting bad long before the tamers showed back up. I figure someone out there wanted to change the game. After all, it was a combined group of Digimon and humans that defeated Vakner in the first place."

"- Not that they did a very good job of it, eh?" Neemon spat on the ground, prompting a dirty look from Zander. "Vakner's still around, isn't he!"

Tor shuddered. "I'm not sure that Vakner's got enough natural left in him to die. They say he can turn you to stone at a touch, and that his roar alone can kill any baby 2 Digimon that hears it!"

"And I heard that he has a servant that can hypnotize tamers into joining his cause!" The Otamamon nervously nibbled on her claws at the thought of it.

"Feh," growled the grumpy Neemon. "I hear he bathes with a rubber ducky he calls Patches."

"Look," Katsumura said testily. "This is lovely and all, but Arcsinh and I picked the berries like you asked, so are you gonna tell us what we wanted to know, or not?"

Colin blinked. "What's up? Trying to learn something?" That certainly sounded like Katsumura, forever flitting around, taking notes, seeking to learn from the world around here, even if she wasn't all that interested in the people in it.

"Yes," said Arcsinh. "We heard about some sort of local creature has been haunting these woods, Katsu wanted to figure out what it was."

"Could be something from the Dark Army," said Zander, pulling his D-Vector from his pocket and fiddling idly with the device.

"Or it could just be a wild Digimon," said Colin, with a shrug. "They don't usually mean trouble, but if they end up encroaching on population centers, or vice versa..."

"Yes, indeed," said the Neemon. "This creature, is a creature most... foul and cunning. It stalks these forests, some say it's even invisible... that the last thing you hear before it strikes is a rustle in the trees and then – BLAMO!" He shouted and clapped his hands, causing several of those gathered around him to jump back. "Eh hee hee," he cackled and then coughed, grinning with but a handful of teeth.

"So it's an ambush predator," Katsumura noted. "Stealthy... could be a Chamelemon, or maybe a Commandramon. Even a bird of prey, they usually strike from above."

"No, no, girlie," the Neemon's kooky grin broadened. "No one knows why it hunts here instead of in the water, but they say it's actually a Gesomon! He hunts from the trees!"

Katsumura laughed harshly. "A tree-dwelling squid? That's absurd. If there is something out there picking 'mons off, it's not some disoriented cephalopod. I'll go show you what the monster is, and I'm sure it's not what you think."

Zander's thin lips had formed into a smile. "Whatever form it is, sounds like fun. And it would make an interesting story to tell, about us dealing with this thing."

"Are you guys nuts?" said Colin, a brown eyebrow raising even as his question was heavy with something like sarcasm. "Going out into the woods after a predator that's clearly very adept at hunting there, without even knowing what we're up against?"

"Where's the fun without risk?" said Zander, clipping his D-Vector to the edge of one the pockets on his trench coat. "Besides, I thought you were the outdoorsy type."

"I am," said Colin, folding his arms. "I like the flora and fauna, I'm not about to go after some wild animal that's just trying to survive. We should leave it be, and I'm sure it'll leave us be."

"Tell that to the travelers it's been attacking," said Katsumura. She ran a hand through her hair, but all the hair gel largely held the spikes in place, both the dyed streaks and the natural brown.

Colin knew when he was being overruled, and with a glance at Zander, he sighed. "Fine."

Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura goes to Schmegkopf


	27. Chapter 27

**Curiosity Bites**

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Osa, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Kera, it seemed, had opted against harassing Arcwater, and had instead directed Jeanette toward a nearby mountainside. The wind whipped through Jeanette's blond hair as she hurtled through the air, her eyes gleaming red as she channeled the Lady Devimon's power of flight. It was a wonderful sensation of freedom, the same desire that had lead her down this path in the first place.

The piercing whine of thrusters behind her was just audible over the din of the wind, as Led followed with her beast spirit, Kaiser Leomon. The gold-trimmed obsidian lion flew along behind her, accompanying Jeanette on this training exercise.

_There,_ said Kera, drawing Jeanette's eyes to a small clearing and relative flat spot alongside the mountain. The possessed tamer dipped lower, and her sneakers skimmed the grass. _The Excalibur seldom patrol this area. It will do for our purposes, as the evacuations of Blight are completed, and the base booby-trapped in the event our enemies_ do _attempt to take it._

"So," said Led, Kaiser Leomon's jet wash churning leaves and bending back branches as she settled in for a landing. "What does the boss lady have in mind for your training?" There was a flash of light, and her voice became less beastly, as the mercenary resumed her normal human form.

Jeanette unslung the shield from her back, _Corpselayer_ Kera had called it. The coffin-like shape of the implement seemed appropriate, and it was forged from a mixture of red and black Digizoids. It could shrug off hits that would fell lesser Digimon, and like Jeanette herself, hid its share of surprises beneath the surface. "Well?" Jeanette asked, speaking aloud, but addressing the demoness dwelling within her. She too wondered what Kera had in mind for her training.

* * *

><p>Jeanette panted heavily as the blade protruding from Corspelayer's tip dug another notch into the large tree. Severed saplings lay all around her, dribbling sap like viscous blood. Her own meager strength was augmented by Kera, but the larger trees still resisted her attempts to fell them. Sweat dripped off her form, and the shield seemed to get heavier by the moment.<p>

Led sat idly on the root of a large tree, one knee tucked up to her chest while the other boot was braced against the dirt. She cradled her D-Cannon, looking bored as she watched Jeanette.

_Again._ Kera said forcefully.

Jeanette gave a ragged hiss and sent a mental wave of general displeasure at Kera, but was too tired to muster much else. She could feel her knees quivering, from exhaustion and the cousin of that thinly-suppressed fatigue. Her consorting with the devil had diminished the narcolepsy, but not eliminated. Pushing too hard still left her weak.

Still, Jeanette hefted the shield, using her other arm to steady the implement. With a ragged cry, Jeanette struck again, the blade driving deep. The tree groaned ominously, and finally, after a long moment, gave way, collapsing to the ground. It wasn't the only thing.

Jeanette's knees hit the dirt, and what muscles in her legs did not burn with fatigue tingled with the weakness and disconnect she knew all too well. The youth fell to her hands and knees, the shield cast aside, still panting for breath she could not seem to catch. Sweat dripped into her eyes, stinging them.

_Useless girl!_ Kera's mental reprimand seemed all too familiar, and Jeanette could feel displeasure rolling off her warden. _I thought that acting as a conduit for my power would erase this disease. Had I known I would have to deal with this constant hindrance..._ She gave a furious hiss and broke off.

Grimacing, Jeanette shot a glance to the side and saw the scarred stump of the tree near her. With an effort she tried to adjust herself into a sitting position against it, but her muscles remained uncooperative, and her fatigue seemed to grow by the moment. Panting, her mouth dry, she struggled toward it and flopped lamely against the bark, uncaring if it was far from the most comfortable seat she'd ever been in.

She squinted up at the bright sunlight, her vision blurring when something interposed itself between her and the glaring rays. "Here," The voice was unusually soft, it wasn't until Jeanette caught a glint off pink hair that she sure it was Led. A hand brushed back the bangs over a scorching forehead, and something cold was pressed to her lips. It tipped and cool liquid trickled in, which Jeanette gulped down greedily.

_What's this?_ Kera's voice twisted with conniving glee. _Seems you've made a friend._

The water was warm, but it was wet, and about anything else, Jeanette didn't care at this point. Led poured a little more in, and then set the bottle down. Jeanette blinked, her eyes clearing. "Merci – beaucoup" Jeanette managed, picking the bottle up again.

"Sure, whatever," Injecting a little more bite into her voice, Led tried to shrug like it was no big deal as she straightened up and backed away.

_It seems we'll have to call an end to this sooner than I had expected,_ said Kera. _Blight will be nearly bare by now. We shall move on to the new location. It will suit our purposes well anyway, being further into Chronian territory._ Jeanette could feel Kera's mental sneer at the thought of the Eastern Province, so littered with Vakner's forces, still being claimed by the Excalibur.

"No," Jeanette said, surprising Kera, Led, and even herself. Led seemed to settle after a moment, perhaps remembering from her time alongside Alexis that Kera's host sometimes spoke aloud even when addressing Kera. "I," Jeanette breathed, rising with difficulty. "I want to keep going – getting stronger. You zink I enjoy being weak?"

"_No,_" Kera gave a cool mental smirk. "_I imagine not. Still, do be prudent._ There was a pause. "_Perhaps you'd like to test your prowess on something more challenging than a tree? I'm certain we can find a few Digimon around here to slay, for practice._

Jeanette relayed Kera's intentions to Led, who still had a small smile on her face. "Shame," the mercenary female said idly. "I'd been hoping to spar, my spirit against your power, but I guess Kera has other plans. At least this way, we won't have to hold back. Hop on."

When one of Jeanette's eyebrows quirked in confusion, Led's face broke into a full on, wild smirk. A practiced hand tapped a series of buttons on the side of the D-Cannon, and light enveloped the dark tamer, followed shortly by the armored lion form.

* * *

><p><strong>Aneda Forest, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Chronus<strong>

Colin, Zander, Koro, Katsumura, and Arcsinh marched through the woods, heading southwest and inland away from the river. According to what the locals had told them, the beast struck primarily on this side of the bank. It acted with lethal stealth, and none who had seen it had survived. Those that _did_ report on it were those that fled outright, the moment that there was a crash in the underbrush, and a cry as their companion was dragged away. As such, no one had an accurate description of the creature.

"Don't tell me you just headed out this way to go monster-hunting," said Zander, pushing through some thick underbrush choking the seldom-walked trail. Grass and moss grew amid their feet, leaving only scant patches of dirt from some old trail through the trees.

Katsumura shook her spiky-haired head. "No. I've been hearing rumors of a creature like this one for awhile now. Arcsinh thinks they could be related, but I'm not so sure."

"What, there's more than one predator sulking around?" said Colin, handling the rough terrain better than the others. "Hmm, I wonder if there's anything like poison ivy growing in these woods... some of these plants and trees do look familiar."

Katsumura rubbed her ear, thinking. "Anything's possible, I suppose. The Digital World does seem to have drawn some of its basis from the real world. Anyway," she went on, cursing briefly as her boot snagged on a tree root, wrenching her ankle slightly. "The creature I had been tracking only showed up recently. For some reason, it seems to be selective in its targets, the victims have been primarily bandits and some of Vakner's peripheral forces."

"How do you know about them, then?" said Colin, unable to keep suspicion fully from his voice. The last thing he wanted to find out was that this girl was working for such a destructive force as Vakner's army.

"Witnesses," said Arcsinh. "Farmers and the like that had happened to see."

"Bits talk," said Katsumura. "Whatever it is, it's fast, but it doesn't seem to have been around for all that long. Only been hearing reports for about a week or so. Something gray and with fangs. Helpful description," she said dryly.

"But you doubt this particular creature is one in the same as the one you've been tracking?" interjected Koro. Not having to contend with the quality of the ground he walked on, the Hagurumon seemed to be having less trouble than any of the others.

"From what the villagers said, this particular creature is a lot less picky about his targets, and he's been around a lot longer than the one I'm after."

The path widened out a bit, and a smaller stream gurgled nearby. "How about we stop and rest here for a bit?" suggested Colin. He wasn't feeling too out of breath yet, but not even Katsumura disagreed with him.

"One thing I will say though," said Katsumura, slouching against a tree as she pulled out her canteen. "Is that Neemon's off his rocker. Even by the standards of this place, a tree-dwelling squid is absurd."

"Sure about that?" said Zander, laughing softly to himself. "I don't know that it would be the strangest thing I've seen since coming to this world."

It was Colin's turn to chortle, the youth seated on a tree stump. "Oh yeah, Zan? So what would you say _is_ the strangest thing you've come across?"

But he was interrupted as Katsumura gave an irritated huff. She started digging in her bag for something, and after a moment, came out with a pair of headphones. "Sorry for disturbing you, miss..." Colin said as the headphones roughly made their way onto Katsumura's ears.

"I never asked for you deacons to come along," she said snippily, casting a harsh look at Zander for some reason. Zander opened his mouth to protest, but there was a sudden rustle from close by, as though something large was moving through the trees.

The sound stopped them all dead, the five waiting, listening, the tamers drawing their D-Vectors slowly as even their limited experience taught them to be prepared. The rustling, crashing sound grew closer, and Colin caught a flash of movement above them, towards the stream. "There!" he pointed, but whatever it was leapt, breaking more branches and disturbing more leaves.

"I see it!" said Koro, facing toward a trio of black claws he'd caught a glimpse of.

"Shoot it!" barked Zander, but before Koro could ready himself, the beast leapt again. "Damn it," he growled, thumbing his D-Vector's arrow pad. "I don't suppose either of you have a way to flush this guy out?"

"I could try spirit evolving," said Colin, though he frowned. He still wasn't sure he liked the idea of going after a wild Digimon. A malicious, fully intelligent enemy soldier was one thing. But an animal simply following its instincts?

The beast continued to leap about the tree tops above the group, but then it went abruptly still. The whole mass of trees was swaying now, only coming to a halt after silence and stillness reigned. "Where did it go?" Zander said tersely, taking a step back, even though he couldn't be sure it was actually _away_ from this threat.

"Maybe it left?" said Arcsinh, crawling up a log jammed in the mud at an angle. The Wormmon's blue eyes peered carefully up at the trees, looking for anything amiss.

_CRASH!_

There was a snapping of branches and a rain of leaves as a white, slick-skinned Digimon dropped into view. The creature's body was sleek and tapered, with black markings and silvery hoses running over what could have been a face, set over a many-fanged maw and an assortment of tendrils. Two of those tendrils held the Gesomon to the tree above, while the others hung below it.

"Neemon was right?" Colin said in shock, staring up at the beast. Why a Digimon presumably based on a creature that spent its entire life in Earth's endless oceans would choose to live in an inland forest, they could only guess at, but here it was before them.

The creature gave an odd, rasping roar, and one of its tentacles lashed out, grabbing the nearest tamer – Katsumura. The British brunette cried out in alarm, but the muscled appendage wound tight around her, lifting her off the ground.

"Katsumura!" Arcsinh yelled in alarm. "Silk thread!" he spat out a thin ribbon of razor-sharp silk, catching the Gesomon along one of its head fins. The beast hissed in pain and swatted at the Wormmon, knocking him backwards.

Colin reached for his D-Vector. "Let her go!" he yelled, hoping the Gesomon might somehow hear and understand him even as he reached for the spirit evolution function. He fumbled with the controls, wishing there was a way to make the option handier.

"Random Roll!" Arcsinh curled up as Gesomon's blow sent him flying into a tree, and the Wormmon launched himself right back at the Gesomon. But the wild Digimon shot back up into the trees, riding its two anchoring tendrils like bungee cords back up into the foliage. Arcsinh landed roughly in the clearing, distraught as the Gesomon made off with his tamer.

"Darkness Gear!" Koro fired at the fleeing Gesomon, but the slippery beast evaded the shot amid the foliage.

"No!" said Colin, stepping in front of the Hagurumon. "We might hit her!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Zander bit off, looking up as the sound of the Gesomon plowing through the canopy grew in distance.

"We have to go after her!" Arcsinh said desperately, scuttling over to the remaining trio. "Please! I know she's -" The Wormmon's voice tightened and he seemed close to tears.

"-A bitch," Zander supplied quietly, but Colin opted for a gentler tact.

"Yeah, she could learn a thing or two about playing nice with others," Colin said steadily. "But we can't very well leave her to Gesomon's tender mercies." He thumbed the center button on his D-Vector. "Let's get her back. Spirit Evolution!"

* * *

><p>It wasn't hard for Colin and the others to follow Gesomon's trail. Broken branches and scattered leaves marked the beast's path, and Katsumura's pungent curses were just audible in the distance. Colin took to the air, using Pidmon's flight capabilities as best he could in the dense forest, and had Arcsinh riding his shoulder. The already diminutive Wormmon looked even smaller on such a perch, with the angel being larger than the human it had been moments ago. Zander and Koro followed along on the ground as best they could, following the glowing white wings and streamer of scarlet fabric.<p>

The noise as Gesomon frantically barged through the trees began to fade into the distance. So too did Katsumura's cries, but Colin took it as a heartening sign that Gesomon had taken her alive. He momentarily wondered why, but figured that like many predators, it wouldn't want to make itself vulnerable by feeding when threats were still nearby.

They neared a rocky cliff jutting up from the forest floor, and Colin heard the distant rush of a waterfall. _Please,_ he prayed mentally. _Don't let us be too late!_ His wings continued to beat the air as he swerved around a mighty oak tree, its branch bark scarred where one of Gesomon's claws had grasped it.

Squinting into the distance, Colin caught a flash of stark white amid the lush green up ahead. "There!" He shouted, feeling his free hand curl into a fist. He wanted badly to take a shot, to unleash the holy fury was his to command, but he couldn't risk a half-cocked shot hitting Katsumura.

So he poured on the speed, only to hear a groaning sound come from overhead. A dead husk of a tree stood to his left and stretched far above. One of its branches must have been loosened by Gesomon swinging, simian-style from it, and now it broke free. Colin swung his staff up, blocking the hit. Though the blow knocked him a little lower in the air, the branch split with a crack and fell to either side.

Glancing down, Colin saw that Zander and Koro were still far enough behind to not be imperiled by the falling limb. "Go, go!" urged Arcsinh, his little legs holding onto Colin with a death grip, either out of a dislike for the flying pursuit, or simple anxiety over his tamer's well-being.

Colin flew on, and suddenly the wall of trees to either side parted. Jagged rocks loomed above him, and a waterfall fed from the cliff above to the pool below and the stream beyond. Smooth rocks dotted the shore at the waterfall's base, and it was to Colin's immense relief that he saw not only Gesomon hunched on the rocks, but Katsumura down there as well.

"Basket!" the female spat. "_Let me go!_"

Gesomon gave a low hiss, apparently too intent on its prey at the moment to notice that Colin had arrived. As Katsumura struggled, it abruptly granted her wish. The tamer landed with a grunt on the rocks, but as she stood up, the Deep Saver made an odd gesture with its two longest tentacles.

A golden glow enveloped Katsumura's feet, and hardened into a transparent yellow dome that rose to mid-shin. "What the?" Katsumura struggled, trying to lift her feet and punching at the dome, but it was futile, holding her in place.

"What's going on?" Colin murmured, landing lightly on a thick tree branch that Gesomon hadn't yet managed to damage. From the look of the surrounding trees, the predator came here often. "Why's it want her alive so badly...?"

"I believe I see why," said Arcsinh, sounding faint with fright. "Look!" It took Colin a moment to see where the Wormmon was pointing with his stubby limb, but when he did, it took all his self-control to stop from cursing. A small handful of eggs dotted a makeshift nest made out of water-smoothed rocks, grass, and mud.

"Momma wants to feed her kids..." Colin whispered, tensing. He looked back. "Zander!" The silver-haired young man and attendant Hagurumon had just reached the base of the tree Colin was standing in.

"Eggs?" grunted Zander, out of breath. "Since when do Digimon _lay_ eggs?"

"It's true we all come from eggs," said Koro. "They usually collect in Primary Village, but some regions elsewhere do form them. Also..." The Hagurumon's mechanical face showed no outward discomfort, but he shuddered slightly, and there was a subtle whine from inside his body like a straining machine. "If he's consumed enough data, it's possible his body assimilated some and dumped the rest."

"So, we still gonna help her?" said Zander, raising a slender eyebrow.

"Of course," said Colin, turning his eyeless face back toward the Gesomon. It had retreated somewhat up into the branches, leaving Katsumura mere feet from the eggs it tended. "I'll head out there and draw her attention. Koro, Zander, hit her from the side while she's distracted."

"I'll get in there and rescue Katsu," Arcsinh said, looking thoroughly queasy but steely determined to get Katsumura back safely. His mouth parts split wide and he spat a string of silk to a nearby branch before lowering himself toward the ground.

Colin shot into the air and barreled toward Gesomon's perch. His white-gloved, leather-studded hands closed in a firm grip on his long staff. "Hey, you! Fishbreath! Over here! Fire feather!" A hand whipped around, and several pale, silvery feathers materialized over his open palm. Like darts they hurtled themselves at the Gesomon. Small explosions peppered the squid and surrounding branches, and the Gesomon hissed angrily.

Its tendrils lashed upward, pulling it to a higher branch so as to better engage the airborne assailant. Gesomon made an odd squelching noise, and sprayed a gout of black ink into the air. Colin managed to fade back in time, but he heard a hissing sound and saw leaves smolder when some of the ink splattered against a tree. "I sure don't remember _that_ from biology class," he muttered, floating sideways.

Out of the corner of his eye, Colin saw his comrades slipping into position. Arcsinh crept along the rocks toward Katsumura, who had had the sense to go silent as the battle broke out. Koro and Zander were lurking in the shadow of a large tree, just waiting for Gesomon to get a little more focused on Colin.

"I doubt I can lure her away from the nest," Colin murmured, thinking out loud. "But I've got keep whatever passes for her eyes up here." He still hoped that they'd be able to spring Katsumura from Gesomon's trap and disengage without anyone's loss of life, but he wasn't sure if that was possible. "Fire Feather!"

This time, Gesomon answered with a blast of its own, firing a multitude of translucent white spheres from its mouth in a spread pattern. The projectiles impacted some of Colin's own and detonated, the attacks negating each other.

"Tch," said Colin, gritting his teeth against the blast shockwave. "Okay, how about this?" He breathed as he focused on his next attack, trying to keep the force he knew it would unleash contained to its target. Even if it was a forest of bizarre digital trees, he didn't want to start a forest fire. He twirled the staff, and a small fire sparked at the center point of its rotation. "Apollo," the staff continued to spin, and the roiling ball of flame continued to build like a tiny sun. "Tornado!" He swung the staff, directed the fiery force down at Gesomon.

The flames spiraled, blasting toward Gesomon, but the creature made the same odd gesture it had before and a much larger golden dome appeared around its body. The fire skirted off it, and Colin couldn't help a curse as branches and leaves burned.

The shield flickered and died, and Zander shouted "Now!" Silver light flashed from his hand as he engaged his digisoul, and an aura of silver light flashed around Koro.

"Darkness Gear!" The Hagurumon fired at the Gesomon's side, the amplified attack catching the beast's side. Bellowing in pain, the Gesomon lashed out with a tentacle. Koro ducked, narrowly avoiding the claws that left deep furrows in the tree beside him.

"Fire feather!" called Colin, even as he swooped to the side. He didn't pretend to be a military strategist, but sometimes moves just came to him. Maybe enough time spent playing Chess with his great granddad, even though he'd lost lots then. Catching Gesomon between two enemies certainly seemed like a good approach in this situation.

Gesomon grabbed a tree and swung to the side, leaving the feathers to bombard the spot it had vacated. It hadn't counted however on Koro firing again, catching the creature in its forehead.

"I've got it!" Arcsinhs's voice managed to pierce the din of battle, and as Colin looked over, he saw Katsumura scoop up the Wormmon and hobble away.

Now they just had to get away. Fortunately, Colin wasn't without an idea for that either. "Koro, entangle her!"

"Understood. Entangle!" Spools of cable shot out from the gear-shaped cyborg's interior, wrapping around several of Gesomon's tentacles as it hung from a thick branch above, as well as part of the creature's body.

"Fire feather! Fire feather!" Colin fired repeated volleys of feathers as fast as he could summon them into the cliff face where it cropped out very close to Gesomon's position. Cracks spread through the rocks, and great chunks broke loose. "Let her go!" The cables detached and slackened, but before Gesomon could move, several tons of rock came crashing down on it.

Gesomon shrieked as it was torn from the trees and pinned to the forest floor under the debris. "Let's go!" called Colin, swooping down past Zander and Koro, and moving toward Katsumura and Arcsinh as they scrambled up the embankment. Zander was running to catch up, with Koro close behind. "You can thank us later," said Colin, landing just ahead of Katsumura and Arcsinh. As he reverted to human form, he found himself breathing heavily, feeling curiously weak and limited without the enhanced size and abilities Pidmon granted him. "But in the mean time I doubt those rocks will hold her forever, and we _really_ don't wanna be around when those eggs hatch."

* * *

><p>Credit for Cyrus Black and Hang goes to Otterly Lost<p>

Credit for Zander Steele and Koro goes to Neocorruption

Credit for Alexis Tashimi goes to Aqua-chan

Credit for Katsumura goes to Schmegkopf


End file.
